kelpie

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈkɛlpi/US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(kel′pē)


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
kel•pie1  (kel′pē),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Mythology(in Scottish legends) a water spirit, usually having the form of a horse, reputed to cause drownings or to warn those in danger of drowning.
  • origin, originally uncertain 1740–50

kel•pie2  (kel′pē),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Dog and Cat BreedsSee Australian kelpie. 
  • 1905–10

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
kelpie, kelpy / ˈkɛlpɪ/ ( -pies)
  1. an Australian breed of sheepdog, originally developed from Scottish collies, having a smooth coat of various colours and erect ears
Etymology: named after a particular specimen of the breed, c. 1870
kelpie / ˈkɛlpɪ/
  1. (in Scottish folklore) a water spirit in the form of a horse that drowns its riders
Etymology: 18th Century: probably related to Scottish Gaelic cailpeach heifer, of obscure origin
'kelpie' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Australian cattle dog - Australian kelpie - barb - kelpy

Forum discussions with the word(s) "kelpie" in the title:


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