Etymology

From older peikkoi, from Proto-Finnic *peikoi, *peiko (reshaped later with -kko; compare Estonian peig (“bridegroom”)), deriving either from Proto-Germanic *faihaz (“hostile, criminal”), *faigijaz (“fey”), or alternatively from a lost Baltic cognate (inexact parallels include Lithuanian paikas (“stupid”), piktas (“angry, bad”), pikčius (“devil”), pikulas (“devil”)), all ultimately based on Proto-Indo-European *peyḱ- (“to mark”).

Pronunciation

• IPA(key): /ˈpei̯kːo/, [ˈpe̞i̯kːo̞]
• Rhymes: -eikːo
• Hyphenation(key): peik‧ko

Noun

peikko

1. (folklore) goblin, hobgoblin, gnome, gremlin (mythical man-like creature, often depicted hairy, tailed and mischievous)
2. troll (in modern children's literature often a good-natured forest-dwelling humanoid)
3. hobgoblin (cause of dread, fear or apprehension)

lähde

see also: trolli