Bogeyman | Origin, Definition, & Synonyms (2024)

Que viene el Coco

(“Here Comes the Bogeyman”)

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Also spelled:
boogieman or boogie man
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legend

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bogeyman, any of a variety of fictional and oftentimes folkloric monsters described in stories designed to frighten children. Tales of the bogeyman and various analogues have been used for centuries all across the world to influence children to behave as their parents command and to exercise caution in dangerous situations or areas. The term is also sometimes used more generally to describe any fearsome or dreaded thing.

Creation of the bogeyman

The word bogeyman, used to describe a monster in English, comes from the Middle English bugge or bogge, which means “a frightening spectre.” Bogeyman itself is known from the 15th century, though bogeyman stories are almost certainly much older. Because of the nature of the tales and the often indistinct or changing nature of the monster, it is impossible to trace the character to a single origin in any culture, much less globally.

It is generally thought that the bogeyman was invented to serve as a caution or deterrent to children. By warning children that a bogeyman will capture them if they stray into the dark woods, for instance, parents might better ensure that children are cautious about where they go and when. In this way, the bogeyman may serve as a shorthand for the various dangers to lone children in the woods. Instead of explaining that they may fall into a ravine, be attacked by an animal, touch something poisonous, and so on, a parent may more easily say “if you go into the woods at night, the bogeyman will get you.” The bogeyman also represents a supernatural presence that can do things a parent cannot do and go places a parent cannot go. Children may know what punishments their parents are capable of assigning, but a bogeyman’s capabilities and motivations are unknowable—thus, all the more terrifying.

Sometimes children develop a concept of the bogeyman on their own. When children begin to try to make sense of the world around them, they often experience fear, uncertainty, and anxiety. This sense of dread, especially when alone or in the dark, can lead children to imagine unseen terrors lurking in the shadows, under the bed, or in the closet. However, because the bogeyman is a distinct entity, there is often a possibility of overcoming or defeating the monster. Parents of small children may employ “monster spray” or put on a night-light to keep the bogeyman away.

Cultural variations of the bogeyman

In some cultures, the bogeyman is amorphous, shapeless, and perhaps described as just a dark figure or something seen out of the corner of the eye. It may even be said to change its shape into anything it chooses or any number of terrible things. It may have claws or nails to scratch against doors or windowpanes, glowing eyes that can be seen in the dark, or horns like an animal. In other cultures, the bogeyman may have a more specific appearance or a recognizable role or belong to another species. It may be a witch, goblin, or ghost, or it may have animal characteristics. La Llorona is a Mexican bogeyman who is the ghost of a woman who wears a white dress. The vodnik (also called vodyanoy) of the Czech Republic is a water spirit who can assume many different forms to entice humans to the banks of rivers and lakes. The Yara-ma-yha-who of Australia looks like a frog with bright red fur, and the Kludde of the Flemish countryside (northern Belgium) is a large doglike demon with a beak, scales, fur, and sharp claws.

Most bogeyman stories involve the punishment, capture, or assault of a disobedient child. Hombre del saco (Sack Man) of Spain spirits children away in a sack, either to sell them or to eat them. The namahage of Japan look for disobedient children on New Year’s Eve; they take away children who don’t mind their parents or who are lazy or cry too much. A Brazilian lullaby warns children that if they do not go to sleep, they will be taken by a cuca, a crocodile woman.

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Various stories and traditions involve tales of how bogeymen can be subverted, outsmarted, or conquered. The kappa of Japan hold power in water-filled depressions in their heads; bowing to one will cause it to bow in return and spill its power-giving water. Leaving shoes by the door will deter the jumbee of the Caribbean region, who will spend the night trying to get the shoes onto its backward feet.

Portrayal of the bogeyman in Western pop culture

The pervasive fear of unknown spectres has led to a variety of depictions of bogeymen in popular media. Arguably, any number of supernatural horror movie icons—such as Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger, of the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street film franchises, respectively—are bogeymen of sorts. Michael Myers, the slasher from the Halloween series of films, is often invoked in bogeyman discussions, as the original film (1978) mentions the bogeyman several times. Oogie Boogie, the villain in the animated film The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), is more of a literal bogeyman (or “boogie” man, as he styles himself, given his penchant for dance and music), who appears as both a corporeal and a spectral figure and is composed of bugs and worms. A more modern bogeyman is Slender Man, a tall featureless humanoid who wears a suit, tales of whom originated on the Internet in the early 2000s.

Alison Eldridge

Bogeyman | Origin, Definition, & Synonyms (2024)

FAQs

What is another word for bogeyman? ›

boogeyman (noun as in bugbear) Strong matches. apprehension bogey bogy bugaboo dread fear goblin gremlin hobgoblin loup-garou ogre problem scare specter terror threat wraith.

What is the other meaning of boogeyman? ›

The word bogeyman, used to describe a monster in English, may have derived from Middle English bugge or bogge, which means 'frightening specter', 'terror', or 'scarecrow'.

What does boogeyman mean dictionary? ›

Definitions of boogeyman. noun. an imaginary monster used to frighten children. synonyms: bogeyman, booger, bugaboo, bugbear.

What is the meaning of the slang bogeyman? ›

A bogeyman is someone whose ideas or actions are disapproved of by some people, and who is described by them as evil or unpleasant in order to make other people afraid. [disapproval] The media depict him as a left-wing bogeyman. Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

What is the gender neutral term for the bogeyman? ›

In a similar vein, the words "bogeyman" and "forefather" have historically been linked with males; hence, gender-neutral alternatives such as "bogeyperson" and "forebear" would be more appropriate in their respective places.

What is the opposite of boogeyman? ›

What is the opposite of the bogeyman?
angelcherub
celestial beingGod's messenger
guardian angelheavenly being
holy beingsupernatural being
spiritual beingbenevolent spirit
4 more rows

What is the female boogeyman called? ›

Baba Yaga is an enigmatic or ambiguous character from Slavic folklore (or one of a trio of sisters of the same name) who has two opposite roles. In some motifs she is described as a repulsive or ferocious-looking old woman who fries and eats children, while in others she is a nice old woman who helps out the hero.

What does the boogeyman symbolize? ›

Tales of the bogeyman and various analogues have been used for centuries all across the world to influence children to behave as their parents command and to exercise caution in dangerous situations or areas. The term is also sometimes used more generally to describe any fearsome or dreaded thing.

Is The Boogeyman good or bad? ›

Overall, The Boogeyman is good with its acting, suspense, and horror.

What is the real boogeyman? ›

The boogeyman is not real, but most cultures have some version of the boogeyman myth, although they go by many, many different names. The actual "boogeyman" name most likely originated sometime in the 19th century, but the mythology of these kinds of "monsters" have been around for much longer than that.

What is The Boogeyman in American culture? ›

United States – The Bogeyman may be called "Boogerman" or "Boogermonster" in rural areas of the American South ("booger" being an American English equivalent of the British English "bogey"), and was most often used to keep young children from playing outside past dark, or wandering off in the forest.

What does boogeyman mean synonyms? ›

Synonyms of bogeymen
  • demons.
  • daemons.
  • ghouls.
  • spectres.
  • specters.
  • phantoms.
  • imps.
  • spirits.

What is the origin of the word bogeyman? ›

The term Boogeyman originated from the mid 19th century from the Middle English word bugge, meaning "something frightful." Numerous regions around the world have different characterizations of the Boogeyman, such as the Sack Man in Spain or Gurumapa in Nepal.

What is the Mexican version of the boogeyman? ›

Many Latin American countries refer to the monster as el Cuco. In northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, where there is a large Hispanic population, it is referred to by its anglicized name, "the Coco Man".

What is a fancy name for a man cave? ›

Believe it or not, man caves have been a thing for a long time and have been known throughout history by several different names. Some of those names include cabinet, studiolo (that's not a typo, it's Italian), closet, solar, study, library, den, or shed.

What is a synonym for the word boogie monster? ›

apparition bogey boogeyman bugaboo bugbear goblin hobgoblin monster phantasm phantasma phantom specter spirit spook visitant wraith.

What is a synonym for the word boogie? ›

boogie (verb as in amble) Strongest matches. drift loiter meander mosey ramble sashay saunter stroll toddle wander.

What is the boogeyman in Russian? ›

Babay or Babai (Russian: Бабай) is a night spirit (Bogeyman) in Slavic folklore.

References

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