goblin
gob·lin/ˈɡɑb.lɪn/noun
goblin is spelled G-O-B-L-I-N: 6 letters and 2 syllables (gob·lin). It appears 2.0 times per million words in written English, the 19,336th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, goblin means “Traditionally, a supernatural being of folklore, typically small and grotesque or misshapen, that commonly haunts dark places, often mischievous or…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of goblin is goblins.
How many letters and syllables are in goblin?
| Letters | 6: G-O-B-L-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: gob·lin |
| In writing | 2.0 times per million words; the 19,336th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with | |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is goblin?
Goblin appears 2.0 times per million words in written English, the 19,336th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce goblin?
- UK /ˈɡɒb.lɪn/
- US /ˈɡɑb.lɪn/
Goblin has 2 syllables, split gob·lin in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-goblin.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with goblin?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as goblin from its last stressed vowel (/ɑblɪn/):
Spelled with the same letters in another order: globin.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of goblin
- goblins plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does goblin mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Traditionally, a supernatural being of folklore, typically small and grotesque or misshapen, that commonly haunts dark places, often mischievous or malevolent; a type of evil elf, sprite, or demon.
From yͤ hagg & hungry Goblin, yͭ into raggs would rend yee, & yͤ spirit yͭ stand’s by yͤ naked man,
- 2
In later fantasy literature, an evil and grotesquely ugly humanoid, typically powerful and warlike, often associated with orcs and trolls.
- 3
A hoodoo.
- 4
Short for goblin shark
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Goblin in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense hostile diminutive humanoid in fantasy literature:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | gobelin, lutin |
| German | Kobold |
| Portuguese | duende, goblin, gobrinho, gobelim |
| Spanish | duende, trasgo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does goblin come from?
From Middle English gobelyn, from Old Northern French gobelin (compare Norman goubelin, Walloon gobelin), possibly a blend of Old Dutch *kobeholdo (“goblin”) (compare Dutch kabouter, German Kobold) and Late Latin cobalus (“mountain sprite”), from Ancient Greek κόβαλος (kóbalos, “rogue, knave; goblin”). Displaced native Old English pūca from Proto-Germanic *pūkô (“a goblin, spook”), whence English puck.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).