as in elf
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
the metal cobalt gets its name from the medieval Germanic belief that its appearance in silver ore was the handiwork of mischievous, thieving kobolds
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Recent Examples of kobold
Monster Vault allows the designers to take a crack at some classic creatures like kobolds, goblins, demons and dragons.
—
Rob Wieland, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
This element takes its name from the German word kobelt, signifying kobolds—gnomes and goblins thought to haunt mines.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
The word cobalt comes from the German word kobold, meaning goblin.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2022
Otherworldly cities modeled on real ones have been a standby of fantasy, from Superman’s Metropolis through China Miéville’s Un Lun Dun to Michael Swanwick’s Babel, with its haints and kobolds, ethnic politics and human ward-heelers.
—Tom Shippey, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2018
Rob Wieland, Forbes, 18 Sep. 2024
This element takes its name from the German word kobelt, signifying kobolds—gnomes and goblins thought to haunt mines.
—Sanjana Curtis, Scientific American, 4 July 2023
The word cobalt comes from the German word kobold, meaning goblin.
—Caroline Delbert, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2022
Otherworldly cities modeled on real ones have been a standby of fantasy, from Superman’s Metropolis through China Miéville’s Un Lun Dun to Michael Swanwick’s Babel, with its haints and kobolds, ethnic politics and human ward-heelers.
—Tom Shippey, WSJ, 16 Mar. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for kobold
Noun
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The hanging fireplace, seemingly lit by house elves, pairs nicely with the gratis bottles of spirits and Chilean wine.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
16 Oct. 2025
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And all these dwarves and elves and humans go, ‘What?—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But stealing the show was the family matriarch, Kris Jenner, 69, who dressed as a woodland fairy for the occasion in a green sparkly, floral mini dress and fairy wings, while Khloé herself wore an animal print onesie.—
Clare Fisher,
PEOPLE,
20 Oct. 2025
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The color-changing micro fairy LEDs were incredibly easy to activate.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The hunger-desire gleaming in their eyes brought to mind that poem about goblin men selling goblin fruit.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Oct. 2025
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In addition to the orange pumpkin, white ghost and green goblin, there will be a red zombie and a black cat.—
Fielding Buck,
Oc Register,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Most standard-sized fruit trees should be spaced about 20 to 25 feet away from each other and homes, but dwarf varieties can be planted closer together.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And thank the faeries for that.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
29 Aug. 2025
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The Unseelie Court is the bastion of malevolent faeries who harm humans for their amusement or to exact revenge.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes,
27 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Kobold.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/kobold. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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