bugge

Middle English

Etymology

Likely from Proto-Germanic *bugja- (“swollen up, thick”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰew-, *bu- (“to swell”). Compare bigge (“powerful, strong”), Norwegian bugge (“big man”), dialectal Low German Bögge, Boggelmann (“goblin, snot”) from Proto-Germanic *pūkô (“a goblin, spook”).

Noun

bugge

1. bogy, hobgoblin, bugbear; scarecrow
   • As a bugge either a man of raggis in a place where gourdis wexen kepith no thing, so ben her goddis of tree. — Wycliffe Bible, 1425, W:Letter of Jeremiah (W:Book of Baruch 6:69). loose translation of the Latin "Nam sicut in cucumerario formido nihil custodit, ita sunt dii illorum lignei...", in turn translating the Greek "Ωσπερ γαρ εν σικυηρατω προβασκανιον ουδεν φυλασσον, ουτως οι θεοι αυτων εισι ξυλινοι..."

References

• “bugge, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse buggi. Compare English big.

Noun

bugge m (definite singular buggen, indefinite plural buggar, definite plural buggane)

1. (dialectal) great man

References

• “bugge” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.