Boggarts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Creatures from folklore that are often mischievous or malevolent and can shape-shift to instill fear or play tricks on humans
2. Mythical beings known for causing chaos or fear by transforming into a person's worst nightmare or any unsettling form
3. Legendary entities commonly described as troublesome spirits that can disguise themselves to create fear or confusion among people

Etymology: "Boggarts" is simply the plural of "boggart," so the story belongs to the singular. The older form, "boggard," is recorded from the 18th century and names a mischievous spirit of northern English and Scottish folklore, a household goblin that could take on animal or other shapes to frighten people. Its roots lie in regional dialect, and it sits among a family of related words for hobgoblins and bogies. The creature most readers now know is quite different. In 1999, J. K. Rowling introduced the boggart in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" as a shapeshifter that lives in dark places such as wardrobes and feeds on fear. Its power to take the form of whatever a person dreads most gave the word a new twist: the folk spirit that once simply haunted a house became a creature that wears your own fears like a costume.