pishachi

plural pishachis · alternative pishache · alternative pishashi

1. South AsiaarchaicA female demon.

   She used to go out and howl so that the servants were afraid to come near her, saying she made ‘one pishashi (devil) noise’.

   1837, Julia Maitland, Letters from Madras, published 1843

   2 more examples

   They believe, that such men as die accidental deaths become Pysáchi, or evil spirits, and are exceedingly troublesome, by making extraordinary noises in families, and occasioning fits, and other diseases, especially in women.

   1807, Francis Buchanan-Hamilton, A Journey from Madras, III.14

   Deeti had discovered that she had run short of water; to leave the dishes unwashed overnight was to invite an invasion of ghosts, of ghouls and hungry pishaches.

   2008, Amitav Ghosh, Sea of Poppies, Penguin, published 2015, page 56