Internet 'troll' comes from the fishing verb (trailing bait) — the Norse monster image merged perfectly.
A person who intentionally posts inflammatory, irrelevant, or offensive content online to provoke emotional responses; to engage in such behavior.
The internet sense of 'troll' derives primarily from the fishing technique, not the mythological creature — though the creature sense reinforces it. 'To troll' meaning 'to fish by trailing a baited line behind a moving boat' entered English from Old French 'troller' (to wander, to hunt) in the late 14th century, possibly influenced by Middle High German 'trollen' (to stroll). An internet troll 'trolls' for reactions by trailing provocative bait. The Norse mythological troll (from Old
The internet 'troll' is actually a fishing metaphor, not a monster metaphor — a troll is someone who trails bait through online forums hoping someone will bite. The phrase 'trolling for newbies' appeared on Usenet in the early 1990s, directly referencing the fishing technique. But the overlap with the Norse mythological troll — a malicious creature lurking under a bridge, waiting to ambush travelers — was so apt that both meanings