Bugbear

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbʌɡ.bɛə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. Something that causes persistent fear or irritation ; a mythical creature imagined to scare children into good behavior
2. An ongoing problem or nuisance that troubles or frustrates people ; a fictional beast used as a warning or to enforce discipline
3. A recurring source of worry or annoyance ; a legendary monster made up to frighten individuals, especially kids

Etymology: The bear in "bugbear" has nothing to do with the animal. The "bug" half is an obsolete sense meaning "something terrifying," a bogeyman, and it is the same root that gave us "bogey" and the older "bugge." So a bugbear was originally a figure invented to frighten children, a hobgoblin-like threat rather than a real animal, and the "bear" is most likely a generic element of the compound rather than the beast itself. Over time the frightening thing shrank from a supernatural terror to an everyday nuisance. A bugbear stopped being something to fear in the dark and became something that wears you down by repetition, such as a noisy neighbour, a recurring chore, or a policy you cannot escape. The fear faded while the sense of being haunted by something persisted.

Synonyms: nuisance, boogeyman, scarecrow