Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bogey” come from?

Bogey comes from Dharug bugi-, a word of unknown meaning in the Aboriginal language of the Sydney region.

bogey (English): The Devil; A ghost, goblin, or other hostile...

Definitions

  1. The Devil; A ghost, goblin, or other hostile...

Ancestry of “bogey”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishbuggebogy, hobgoblin, bugbear; scarecrow
2Proto-Germanicbugja-swollen up, thick
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

Words derived from “bogey”

  • bogeyman
  • bogie
  • boogeyman
  • bogyman
  • bogeyland
  • bogey
  • bógaí
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- →