leprechaun

• lepracaun

From Irish leipreachán, luprachán, from Middle Irish luchrupán, from Old Irish luchorpán. See also Irish lucharachán.

The word's further etymology is disputed; it is traditionally explained as a compound containing lú (“small”, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ-) +‎ corp (“body”, which is from Latin corpus).[1] However, an alternative suggestion is that it is a derivative of Latin Lupercī (“priests of Lupercus”), who were misinterpreted as an antediluvian species by medieval Irish scholars.[2]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛpɹəkɔːn/

• Audio (Southern England)

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈlɛprəˌkɔn/, /ˈlɛprəˌkɑn/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

leprechaun (plural leprechauns)

1. (Irish folklore) One of a race of elves that can reveal hidden treasure to those who catch them.
   • 1888, William Allingham, “The Lepracaun; or Fairy Shoemaker”, in William Butler Yeats, editor, Irish Fairy and Folk Tales, pages 86–87:

     Do you not catch the tiny clamour, / Busy click of an elfin hammer, / Voice of the leprechaun singing shrill, / As he merrily plies his trade?

• leprechaun on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• leprecano, lepricauno, leprecauno (adapted forms)

Borrowed from English leprechaun, from Irish leipreachán, luprachán, from Middle Irish luchrupán, from Old Irish luchorpán, of disputed etymology.

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛ.pre.kon/, /ˈlɛ.pri.kon/
• Rhymes: -ɛprekon, -ɛprikon

leprechaun m (invariable)

1. (Irish folklore) leprechaun

   Synonyms: gnomo irlandese, folletto irlandese

• leprechaunismo

Unadapted borrowing from English leprechaun, from Irish leipreachán.

leprechaun m (invariable)

1. (Irish folklore) leprechaun

   Synonym: duende irlandês