Word of the Day

Puckish. Does its origin precede or postdate Shakespeare?

Answer: Both.

According to Dictionary.com:

Origin: 1870–75; Puck + -ish 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random
House, Inc. 2009.

However the word "puck" as part of "puckish" predates the Bard:

Also called Hobgoblin, Robin
Goodfellow. a particularly mischievous sprite in English folklore who
appears as a character in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's
Dream.
2.
(lowercase) a malicious or mischievous demon or spirit; a
goblin.
Origin: bef. 1000; ME pouke, OE pūca; c. ON pūki a mischievous
demon
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random
House, Inc. 2009.