[Resettozero]

In Internet parlance, a troll is a malevolent mischief-maker, a commenter who says something politically incorrect, then sits back and enjoys the resulting furor — sometimes even fanning the flames under multiple contradictory identities.

On FR, "troll" seems to mean any unfamiliar poster that disagrees with another poster.

I feel confident that while each FReeper may have his/her own mental image of an ugly hunchbacked troll springing from hiding and attacking someone, not many here really know how to discern a FR troll OR are willing to check one's posting history before slinging the noun as an epithet.

[Company Man]

You may be interested to learn that the word “troll” entered the online lexicon as a verb, not a noun. “Trolling” is an act similar to that of a fisherman pulling a trinket at a low speed behind his bass boat, waiting for a gullible virtue-signaller to take the bait. Seriously, you could look it up. It was the much wider English speaking community which has now affixed the on-line term to bridge dwellers.

[dayglored]

> mental image of an ugly hunchbacked troll springing from hiding and attacking someone... before slinging the noun as an epithet.

You mistook the essential meaning of an internet "troll". The internet use of "troll" has to do with the VERB ("to troll" for replies), not the creature. It's from FISHING -- throwing a tempting lure on a line into the water and moving about slowly, waiting for someone to bite.

I.e. throwing a controversial or contrary comment into a thread and waiting for someone to comment about it and start a food fight.

-That-, FRiend, is a troll.

And in that sense, much as I support Trump in this race, the descriptor actually is fairly accurate in some respects. He throws comments out to get a reaction. It's brilliant, but I understand how some folks find it annoying.