kelpie — ONAD

kelpie /ˈkelpē, ˈkɛlpi

▸ noun

1 a water spirit of Scottish folklore, typically taking the form of a horse and reputed to delight in the drowning of travelers.

2 a sheepdog of an Australian breed with a smooth coat, originally bred from a Scottish collie.

– ORIGIN late 17th century : perhaps from Scottish Gaelic cailpeach, colpach ‘bullock, colt’. kelpie (SENSE 2) apparently comes from the name of a particular bitch, King's Kelpie (c. 1879).