Obake
/oʊˈbɑːkeɪ/noun
A Japanese ghost, spirit, or shapeshifting monster, especially one that has transformed from its original form.
Did you know?The word combines the polite prefix o- with bake, from bakeru, meaning “to change” or “transform,” linking obake to folklore about objects and creatures becoming supernatural beings.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Japanese
Japanese
bakeru
“To change form, transform, or become strange”
Classical Japanese
Japanese
bakemono
“A thing that has transformed; a monster or supernatural creature”
Edo Period (1603–1868)
Japanese
obake
“A polite or softened term for a ghost, monster, or transformed being”
19th–20th Century
Japanese
おばけ
“Ghost, apparition, or supernatural shapeshifter”
Modern English
English
obake
“A Japanese ghost or shapeshifting monster, used especially in discussions of folklore and popular culture”