whats the difference between a goblin and a hobgoblin?

[tweenyb]

whats the difference between a goblin and a hobgoblin?

[dundurn]

Depends on whether you're dealing with folklore or fiction.

In folklore hobgoblins were smaller than goblins and mischievous rather than threatening. Hobgoblin may be derived from Robin Goblin (i.e. Robin Goodfellow/ Puck). Goblins proper were nastier, more troll-like and lived mostly underground cf German kobold.

In fiction, however, hobgoblin (perhaps just because it's a longer word?) frequently is used to describe a bigger than average goblin. Tolkien did this in 'The Hobbit'.

[PvtSniper]

well that all may be true, but the real difference, is the hob goblins, like to eat hobnob biscuits :)