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wight
Wight is a Middle English word, from Old English ''wiht'', and used to describe a creature or living sentient being. It is akin to Old High German ''wiht'', meaning a creature or thing.〔Merriam-Webster, 1974.〕〔T. F. HOAD. "wight". The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 19, 2010 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-wight.html〕 In its original usage the word ''wight'' described a living human being.〔''Wight'', in the ''Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary'', Merriam-Webster, 1974 edition.〕 More recently, the word has been used within the fantasy genre of literature to describe undead or wraith-like creatures: corpses with a part of their decayed soul still in residence, often draining life from their victims. The earliest example of this usage in English is in William Morris's translation of the Grettis Saga, where draug is translated as "barrow wight". Notable later examples include the undead Barrow-wights from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and the level-draining wights of ''Dungeons & Dragons'' role-playing game.
==Etymology==
The English word is cognate with other Germanic words such as Dutch ''wicht'', German ''Wicht'', Old Norse ''vættr'', Norwegian ''vette'', Swedish ''vätte'', Danish ''vætte''. Modern High German ''Wicht'' means 'small person, dwarf,' and also 'unpleasant person,' while in Low German the word means 'girl.' The ''Wicht'', ''Wichtel'' or ''Wichtelchen'' of Germanic folklore is most commonly translated into English as an imp, a small, shy character who often does helpful domestic chores when nobody is looking (as in the ''Tale of the Cobbler's Shoes''). These terms are not related to the English word ''witch''. In Scandinavian folklore, too, wights are elusive creatures not unlike elves, capable of mischief as well as of help. In German and Dutch language the word Bösewicht or Booswicht points out an evildoer, "Bösewichte haben keine Lieder" means they (do not make merry) are unpleasant folk.
抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』
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