# leprechaun

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈlɛpɹəkɔːn/ · frequency rank #42,235

## Definitions
1. One of a race of elves that can reveal hidden treasure to those who catch them.

## Etymology
From Irish leipreachán, luprachán, from Middle Irish luchrupán, from Old Irish luchorpán. See also Irish lucharachán.
The word's further etymology is disputed; it is traditionally explained as a compound containing lú (“small”, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ-) + corp (“body”, which is from Latin corpus). However, an alternative suggestion is that it is a derivative of Latin Lupercī (“priests of Lupercus”), who were misinterpreted as an antediluvian species by medieval Irish scholars.

## Common misspellings (15)
`elprechaun`, `leperchaun`, `lepprechaun`, `leprcehaun`, `leprecahun`, `leprecchaun`, `leprechanu`, `leprechaunn`, `leprechhaun`, `leprechuan`, `leprehcaun`, `leprrechaun`, `lerpechaun`, `lleprechaun`, `lperechaun`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leprechaun