boogeyman

The boogeyman is a legendary figure used by adults to frighten children into behaving or to explain fears of the dark. It is not a single fixed entity; rather, the term describes a broadly defined stock character whose appearance and behavior vary by culture and storyteller. In many traditions the creature is imagined as a shapeless or threatening being that abducts or punishes children who misbehave, stay out late, or fail to follow rules. Because details differ widely, the boogeyman serves as a general symbol of danger rather than a precise mythic figure.

Etymology and regional variants: The English term boogeyman (also bogeyman) derives from older words for goblin or frightening beings, such as bogey or bogie, with possible connections to bugbear. Similar concepts exist across languages under different names, including El Coco in Spanish-speaking regions and Croque-mitaine in French-speaking areas. In each locale the figure is adapted to local folklore, often retaining the core idea of a lurking threat used to enforce discipline.

Cultural role: The boogeyman appears in folklore, literature, and later popular culture as a device to explore childhood fear, obedience, and the unknown. In modern media the concept tends to be used as a character or motif that can be monstrous, supernatural, or psychological, reflecting universal anxieties about darkness, safety, and consequences.