Puckish
/ˈpʌk.ɪʃ/noun
Playfully mischievous or impish.
Did you know?Shakespeare’s Puck helped transform an older Germanic word for a goblin or evil spirit into the modern image of a mischievous trickster.
Etymological Timeline
Early Germanic
Germanic
*puk-
“A reconstructed term associated with a goblin or evil spirit; the exact prehistoric form is uncertain.”
Old English
Old English
pūca
“A goblin, demon, or malicious supernatural being.”
Middle English
Middle English
pouk / pook
“A hobgoblin or frightening spirit.”
16th Century
English
Puck
“A name for a mischievous spirit or fairy, later famously used for Shakespeare’s trickster character.”
16th–17th Century
English
puckish
“Resembling Puck; mischievous or impish.”
Modern English
English
puckish
“Playfully mischievous, teasing, or impish.”