troll

Meaning

Noun

1. (European, also) a giant supernatural being, especially a grotesque humanoid creature living in caves or hills or under bridges.
2. (broadly, derogatory, slang) An ugly or unpleasant person.
3. (broadly) An optical ejection from the top of the electrically active core region of a thunderstorm that is red in colour and seems to occur after tendrils of vigorous sprites extend downward towards cloudtops.
4. (broadly, informal) A Michigander who lives on the mainland, i.e. not a resident of the Upper Peninsula, so named due to living south of the Mackinaw Bridge.

Verb

1. (transitive) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
2. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
3. (intransitive) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
4. (intransitive) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
5. (intransitive, slang, specifically) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
6. (intransitive, obsolete) Senses relating to a rolling motion.
7. (archaic, transitive) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
8. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
9. (archaic, intransitive) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
10. (archaic, intransitive) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
11. (archaic, intransitive) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
12. (intransitive, obsolete) Senses relating to the motion of passing around.
13. (transitive) Senses relating to a light, quick motion.
14. (obsolete, transitive) Senses relating to a light, quick motion.
15. (intransitive) Senses relating to a light, quick motion.
16. (intransitive, obsolete) Senses relating to a light, quick motion.
17. (transitive) Senses relating to fishing.
18. (figuratively, transitive) Senses relating to fishing.
19. (intransitive) Senses relating to fishing.
20. (Scotland, US, intransitive) Senses relating to fishing.
21. (figuratively) Senses relating to "fishing" for a reaction.
22. (broadly) Senses relating to "fishing" for a reaction.
23. (broadly, colloquial) Senses relating to "fishing" for a reaction.

Opposite of

ugly person, unattractive person

Synonyms

round

spin

trolling

run

revolve

whirl

gnome

rotate

burrower

canon

catch

celebrate

clew

clue

commend

curl

drive

dwarf

elf

🧝

eulogize

extol

get around

giant

glorify

goblin

gremlin

hail

hobgoblin

hook

🪝

hymn

laud

lilliputian

loop

➿

lure

manikin

midge

midget

mill

minim

minnow

pigmy

pixie

praise

pygmy

ramble

ratchet

rave

reel

resound

rhapsodize

Translations

troll

🧌

Troll

🧌

trol

🧌

troll

troll

trol

🧌

τρολ

troll

🧌

cantar en canon

trällern

τραγούδι

طْرُول

ψαρεύω με πετονιά

döndürmek

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tɹɒl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: trol

Cognate with Danish: fortrylle

Cognate with Icelandic: tröll

Cognate with Middle High German: trol

Cognate with Norwegian: fortrylle

Cognate with Swedish: trolla

Inherited from Middle English: trollen

Cognate with French: troller

Cognate with German: trollen

Cognate with Middle Low German: drullen

Cognate with Low German: trullen

In summary

Partly:
* from Middle English trol (“demon (?); sorcerer (?)”) [and other forms], from Old Norse trǫll (“conjurer, mage; witch”), from Proto-Germanic *truzlą (“supernatural being; demon, fiend; giant; monster”), probably from *trudaną (“to step on; to tread”) + *-ilą (suffix forming agent nouns); and
* borrowed from Norwegian Bokmål troll, Swedish troll, or Danish trold, from Old Norse trǫll (see above).
Doublet of droll and trow.
Cognates
* Danish fortrylle (“to bewitch”), trylle (“to conjure”)
* Icelandic tröll
* Middle High German trol, crewtrolle (“spook, wraith; ogre, monster”)
* Norwegian fortrylle (“to bewitch”), trylle (“to conjure”)
* Swedish trolla (“to conjure”)