Piskie
/ˈpɪs.ki/noun
A mischievous fairy or supernatural being, especially in Cornish folklore.
Did you know?Cornish piskies were traditionally associated with wild moors, mines, and the danger of becoming “pixy-led”—lost or disoriented through supernatural mischief.
Etymological Timeline
Uncertain; before the 17th century
Cornish/English dialect
pisky / piskie
“A fairy or mischievous supernatural being; the ultimate origin is uncertain.”
17th Century
English
pixy
“A small supernatural creature or fairy, especially in southwestern English folklore.”
18th Century
English
pixie
“A fairy-like being, with the spelling increasingly established in literary English.”
19th Century
Cornish English
piskie
“A regional form associated with Cornwall’s traditional fairy lore.”
Modern English
English
piskie
“A variant spelling of pixie, often used specifically for a Cornish fairy or folklore figure.”