Smurf

Smurf is a fictional species created by Belgian cartoonist Pierre Culliford, known by the pen name Peyo, in 1958. They are blue-skinned, humanoid creatures who live in a village in a forest, with houses shaped like mushrooms.

Physically small, Smurfs are typically depicted as about three apples tall. They wear white trousers and conical white hats. Most portrayals feature male Smurfs, though a female Smurf, Smurfette, and other female characters have appeared in later stories and adaptations.

In Smurf society, individual names reflect character traits, such as Brainy, Jokey, Hefty, Clumsy, Vanity, and Smurfette. The village is led by Papa Smurf, a wise elder who wears a red hat and beard. They usually resolve problems through cooperation and clever plans, often thwarting the sorcerer Gargamel and his cat Azrael.

The Smurfs first appeared in Spirou magazine in 1958 and were created by Peyo. They gained international fame through the 1980s animated television series The Smurfs (produced by Hanna-Barbera) and later feature films. The Smurf universe has expanded to comics, video games, and merchandise.

In computing, the term smurf or smurfing describes a strategy in which a player uses a secondary account or lower-level identity to masquerade as a less skilled player, drawing on the name recognition of Smurfs in popular culture.