bogeyman, bugbear, bugaboo, boogeyman, booger (noun)

an imaginary monster used to frighten children

bugbear, hobgoblin (noun)

an object of dread or apprehension

"Germany was always a bugbear for France"; "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds"--Ralph Waldo Emerson

bugbear (Noun)

An ongoing problem; a recurring obstacle or adversity.

bugbear (Noun)

A source of dread; resentment; or irritation.

bugbear (Noun)

An imaginary creature meant to inspire fear in children.

Bugbear

A bugbear is a legendary creature or type of hobgoblin comparable to the bogeyman, and other creatures of folklore, all of which were historically used in some cultures to frighten disobedient children. Its name is derived from a Middle English word "bugge", or perhaps the old Welsh word bwg, or old Scots "bogill", and has cognates in German "bögge" or "böggel-mann", and most probably also English "bugaboo" and "bogey-man". In medieval England, the Bugbear was depicted as a creepy bear that lurked in the woods to scare children; it was described in this manner in an English translation of a 1565 Italian play The Buggbear. In a modern context, the term bugbear serves as a metaphor for something which is annoying or irritating. It may also mean pet peeve.

Bugbear

A bugbear is a legendary creature or type of hobgoblin comparable to the boogeyman (or bugaboo or babau or cucuy), and other creatures of folklore, all of which were historically used in some cultures to frighten disobedient children.