Word
pixie
Phoneticspix·ie
US/ˈpɪksi/
UK/pˈɪksi/
Definition
n. a small, magical person with pointed ears who likes to play tricks. They are common in old stories from England.
n. a supernatural being from folklore, typically depicted as a small, mischievous humanoid with pointed ears. Often associated with the mythology of South West England.
Examples
“The children believed a pixie lived in the garden.”
“In many local legends, a traveler who gets lost in the woods is said to have been led astray by a pixie.”
“The author draws heavily on Cornish folklore, populating the ancient moorlands with pixies that are more capricious and dangerous than the cute versions found in modern children's books.”
Examples
simple
“The children believed a pixie lived in the garden.”
contextual
“In many local legends, a traveler who gets lost in the woods is said to have been led astray by a pixie.”
complex
“The author draws heavily on Cornish folklore, populating the ancient moorlands with pixies that are more capricious and dangerous than the cute versions found in modern children's books.”
Usage
The plural form is usually 'pixies'.
Real-World Examples
“She’s off to have a haircut after we meet, even though her neat pixie cut scarcely looks trimmable.” Etymology
Uncertain; 17thC, originally in the folklore of southwest England; perhaps diminutive of Swedish pysk (“fairy”); perhaps Puck + -sy; see Wikipedia.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.