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L

leprechaun

lep‧re‧chaun /ˈleprəkɔːn $ -kɑːn, -kɒːn/ noun

an imaginary creature in the form of a little old man, in old Irish stories

Etymology: from Irish lupracan, metathesis of Old Irish luchorpan literally "a very small body," from lu "little, small" (from PIE *legwh- "having little weight;" see lever (n.)) + corpan, diminutive of corp "body," from Latin corpus "body"

Examples:

- But begob I was just lowering the heel of the pint when I saw the citizen getting
up to waddle to the door, puffing and blowing with the dropsy, and he cursing the
curse of Cromwell on him, bell, book and candle in Irish, spitting and spatting out
of him and Joe and little Alf round him like a leprechaun trying to peacify him.  (Joyce - Ulysses)

- On the bottom step Wicklow crouched like a leprechaun reading a weighty
book by the aid of a mechanic’s light. (Carre - The Russia House)