Trickster
/ˈtrɪk.stɚ/noun
A person or character who plays tricks, deceives others, or behaves mischievously.
Did you know?The modern English word is built from *trick*, whose older senses included “deceive” and “cheat,” and the suffix *-ster* once marked a person engaged in an activity, so the word literally points to a doer of deceptive acts.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
triken
“to cheat, deceive, or play a trick”
16th Century
English
trick
“a deceptive act, sleight, or crafty device”
Old English
English
-estre / -ster
“a feminine or agentive suffix used for a person connected with an action or trade”
17th Century
English
trickster
“one who tricks or deceives; a deceiver”
Modern English
English
trickster
“a mischievous deceiver or prankster; also a mythic figure who breaks rules and boundaries”