Pawke
/pɔːk/noun
An obsolete or dialectal spelling of “puck,” meaning a goblin, mischievous spirit, or devilish creature.
Did you know?The word belongs to an old Germanic family of names for supernatural beings, and Shakespeare’s Puck preserves that folklore in a more playful form.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
Old English
pūca
“A goblin, demon, or mischievous supernatural being”
Middle English
Middle English
pouke
“A goblin, devil, or evil spirit”
14th–15th Century
Middle English
pooke
“A spectral or demonic creature”
16th Century
English
pawke
“A variant spelling referring to a goblin or puck-like spirit”
16th–17th Century
English
puck
“A mischievous spirit or goblin”
Modern English
English
Puck
“A fairy or mischievous spirit, especially Shakespeare’s character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream”