kelpie
pronunciation
How to pronounce kelpie in British English:
UK [ˈkelpi]
How to pronounce kelpie in American English:
US [ˈkɛlpi]
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- Noun:
- (Scottish folklore) water spirit in the form of a horse that likes to drown its riders
- an Australian sheepdog with pointed ears
Word Origin
- kelpie (n.)
- 1747, Scottish, of unknown origin, perhaps related to Gaelic colpach "heifer, steer, colt;" colpa "cow, horse." The Lowland name of a demon in the shape of a horse that was reputed to haunt lakes and rivers and to delight in causing drownings. But unlike its equivalents in Danish (nøkken) and Icelandic (nykur), it occasionally was benevolent, especially to millers by keeping their streams running.
Example
- 1. Find the perfect australian kelpie puppies from all over the world !
- 2. An energetic little kelpie named " westie " was rescued after it chased a sea lion four kilometers out to sea from a south australia beach , according to the sydney morning herald .
- 3. When the back of a man 's australian home at aldinga beach caught on fire at 1 am , carly the kelpie began barking to awaken him .