Hob
/hɒb/noun
A flat projection or shelf on a fireplace or stove, or a small mischievous sprite in English folklore.
Did you know?In English folklore, a hob was a brownie-like household spirit, which is why the word later felt perfect for the warm, fire-adjacent part of a hearth and then a stove.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
Hobbe
“A familiar form of the personal name Robert, later used for a rustic or hobgoblin-like sprite.”
Middle English
ME
hobbe
“A rustic fellow; later, a household sprite or goblin.”
16th Century
English
hob
“A mischievous sprite or goblin in folklore.”
17th Century
English
hob
“A flat projection beside or in front of a fireplace, later a stove-top or burner surface.”
Modern English
English
hob
“The flat top or part of a stove, especially in British English.”
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