barghest

noun

bar·​ghest

variants or less commonly barguest

ˈbärgəst

plural -s

dialectal, England

: a ghost or goblin believed to portend misfortune and sometimes appearing in the shape of a large dog

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from English dialect bar, bargh ridge (from Middle English bergh hill) + English dialect ghest, alteration of ghost

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!