The term poltergeist is German for "noisy ghost." As such, it is an apparition
which is causing a great deal of trouble in a house - knocking things over,
breaking objects, and otherwise making a great nuisance of itself.
Such destructive apparitions usually only focus on material objects - they do
not harm people. They also tend to occur in the company of young children or
adolescents - especially of the female gender. When the children move, the
poltergeist moves as well.