puck
UK[pʌk]US[pʌk]
n
a hard rubber disc used in ice hockey.
n
a mischievous or evil sprite in folklore.
Etymology
the word 'puck' entered english from old english 'pūca', referring to a mischievous goblin or demon. this term is of germanic origin, likely related to old norse 'púki' (a mischievous demon) and possibly connected to the irish 'púca' (a goblin or spirit). the name was later applied to the hard rubber disc used in ice hockey during the late 19th century, likely because the elusive, fast-moving disc was thought to behave with a mischievous life of its own, echoing the sprite's tricky nature.
Analysis
the word is a simplex loanword. it does not contain separable morphemes within modern english spelling.
Examples
the player shot the puck into the top corner of the net.
in the story, the old puck played tricks on travelers who wandered into the forest at night.
the game was delayed while they searched for the puck under the bleachers.