Werewolf

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈwɛːwÊŠlf/, /ˈwɪəwÊŠlf/
• US IPA: /ˈwɛərwÊŠlf/, /ˈwɪərwÊŠlf/, /ˈwÉœrwÊŠlf/

Alternative forms

• werwolf, wehrwolf, warwolf

Origin

From Middle English werwolf, from Old English werwulf ("werewoulf", literally man-wolf), equivalent to wer + wolf or - + wolf. Cognate with Dutch weerwolf ("werewolf"), Middle Low German werwulf, werwolf, warwulf ("werewolf"), German Werwolf ("werewolf"), Danish varulv ("werewolf"), Swedish varulv ("werewolf").

Compare also French garou, in loup-garou ("werewolf"), French dialectal gairou, varou ("werewolf"), Medieval Latin gerulphus, garulphus ("werewolf") (< ).

Full definition of werewolf

Noun

1. (mythology) A person who is transformed or can transform into a wolf or a wolflike human, often said to transform during a full moon.

Derived terms

• werewolfdom
• werewolfish

Synonyms

• wolfman
• lycanthrope