troll
troll
UK[trəʊl]US[troʊl]
n
A mythical, cave-dwelling being depicted in folklore as either a giant or a dwarf, typically having a very ugly appearance.
n
A person who makes a deliberately offensive or provocative online post.
v
To make a deliberately offensive or provocative online post with the aim of upsetting someone or eliciting an angry response.
v
To fish by trailing a baited line along behind a boat.
Etymology
The word 'troll' entered English from Old Norse 'troll', meaning a supernatural being or monster. This Norse term is likely related to, but distinct from, the Old Norse verb 'trolla', meaning to enchant or bewitch, and the Middle High German 'trolle', meaning a wild creature. The journey from a specific mythological creature to a modern internet nuisance is a fascinating semantic shift. The online sense emerged in the late 1980s, likely influenced by the verb 'to troll' in fishing—to trail bait—which metaphorically describes luring people into angry reactions, with the creature's name adding a layer of monstrous or mischievous behavior.
Analysis
The word 'troll' is a simplex loanword from Old Norse. It does not contain separable morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
The children were scared by the story of a troll living under the bridge.
He was banned from the forum for being a persistent troll.
Do not feed the trolls; the best response is to ignore them.