a scary creature or monster that parents sometimes mention to frighten children into behaving, or any vague threat or enemy
From 'bogy' or 'bogie,' possibly from Scottish Gaelic 'bogaidh' or a variant of 'bog.' The word combines this creature name with 'man,' creating an imaginary figure used to scare children.
Every culture has its own version of the boogeyman with different names—Japan has 'Namahage,' Russia has 'Baba Yaga,' and Sweden has 'Olle Bogeyman'—showing how universal the idea of a scary made-up creature is!
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