kobold

noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"kobold" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“kobold” is an uncommon English word, ranked #87,462 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#87,462
frequency rank, English
6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that is capable of materialising as an object or human, often a child; a sprite.

Key facts for kobold
PropertyValue
Headwordkobold
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
Letters6
Frequency rank#87,462
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “kobold” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). kobold lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for kobold is 6 letters long, classified as a noun. Corpus data places it at rank #87,462 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

No generated misspelling entries exist for kobold in our index, since its letter pattern doesn't lend itself to common typo substitutions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which tends to mean the word is visually distinctive enough to stand on its own.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from German Kobold. Doublet of cobalt. The correct English form is kobold, spelled K-O-B-O-L-D.

Definition

  1. 1
    An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that is capable of materialising as an object or human, often a child; a sprite.
  2. 2
    A mischievous elf or goblin, or one connected (and helpful) to a family or household.
  3. 3
    One of a diminutive and usually malevolent race of beings, often with a reptilian or dog-like appearance.

Etymology

Borrowed from German Kobold. Doublet of cobalt.

Synonyms

goblin

This word in other languages

diabrete(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "kobold"?
"kobold" is spelled K-O-B-O-L-D.
What does "kobold" mean?
As a noun, "kobold" means: An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that is capable of materialising as an object or human, often a child; a sprite.
What is the origin of the word "kobold"?
Borrowed from German Kobold. Doublet of cobalt. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “kobold”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is K-O-B-O-L-D - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list