nuckelavee

N1U1C3K5E1L1A1V4E1E1
/nʌklɑːˈviː/

noun

An aquatic horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology, said to cause droughts and epidemics and to harm crops and animals.

OriginScots knoggelvi →
Scrabble 19
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Meanings

nounnuckelavee (plural nuckelavees)

plural nuckelavees · alternative nuckalavee

  1. An aquatic horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology, said to cause droughts and epidemics and to harm crops and animals.

Origin

  1. Scotsneugle“water spirit in the form of a horse”
  2. Scotsknoggelvi
  3. Englishnuckelavee

From Orcadian Scots knoggelvi, from Scots neugle (“water spirit in the form of a horse”). Related to English nicker (“water demon”).

More words from Scots

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

nuckelavee. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuckelavee

MLA

“nuckelavee.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuckelavee. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nuckelavee,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nuckelavee.

Source: nuckelavee on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.