poltergeist

[ pohl-ter-gahyst ]

/ ˈpoʊl tərˌgaɪst /

a ghost or spirit supposed to manifest its presence by noises, knockings, etc.

Origin of poltergeist

1840–50; < German Poltergeist, equivalent to polter(n) to make noise, knock, rattle + Geist ghost

polonnaruwa, polony, polos, polska, poltava, poltergeist, poltoratsk, poltroon, poly, poly bag, poly i:c

H.R. Giger, best known for his work on movies like Alien and Poltergeist 2, died at the age of 74.

Hollywood’s Sci-Fi Artist H.R. Giger Dead at 74 |Justin Jones |May 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The plot hews close to Poltergeist, the Tobe Hooper-directed, Steven Spielberg-produced haunted house classic from 1982.

Insidious' Unsettling Horror |Keith Phipps |April 1, 2011 |DAILY BEAST
A poltergeist that up to the present had confined its attentions to me, no one else in the house having either heard or seen it.

Byways of Ghost-Land |Elliott O'Donnell
Poltergeist had spared my novel, lying next to Young: evidently he thought that already watery enough.

The Bonadventure |Edmund Blunden

Rackets in general are caused by lares domestici (“brownies”) or the Poltergeist.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 1 |Various
Perhaps, if he took no notice, the poltergeist would be discouraged and subside.

When Ghost Meets Ghost |William Frend De Morgan
There is vastly more than the poltergeist in her, that is evident; for she has conquered every critic with her miracles.

The Shadow World |Hamlin Garland

poltergeist

/ (ˈpɒltəˌɡaɪst) /

a spirit believed to manifest its presence by rappings and other noises and also by acts of mischief, such as throwing furniture about

C19: from German, from poltern to be noisy + Geist ghost