kelpie

/ˈkɛlpi/

A kelpie is a scary fictional character, a Scottish water spirit that shifts its shape between a horse and a human. Kelpies are known for their love of drowning people.

For years, stories about kelpies have been used by parents as a way of warning children to be cautious around bodies of water. In some paintings of kelpies, they're pictured in human form but with hooves. Another kind of kelpie is the sheepdog breed which is associated with Australia, but which originated in Scotland and was named for the water spirit. The word comes from the Gaelic colpach, "steer or colt."

Definitions of kelpie

1. noun

   (Scottish folklore) water spirit in the form of a horse that likes to drown its riders
   synonyms: kelpy

   type of:

   evil spirit

   a spirit tending to cause harm
2. noun

   an Australian sheepdog with pointed ears
   type of:

   sheep dog, sheepdog, shepherd dog

   any of various usually long-haired breeds of dog reared to herd and guard sheep