ghoul
Americannoun
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ghouls
plural
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an evil demon, originally of Muslim legend, supposed to feed on human beings, and especially to rob graves, prey on corpses, etc.
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a grave robber.
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a person who revels in what is revolting.
noun
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a malevolent spirit or ghost
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a person interested in morbid or disgusting things
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a person who robs graves
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(in Muslim legend) an evil demon thought to eat human bodies, either stolen corpses or children
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of ghoul
First recorded in 1780–90, ghoul is from the Arabic word ghūl
Explanation
A ghoul is an evil demon, ghost, or fiend. On Halloween, the kids dressed as fairies and pumpkins look cute. The kids dressed as ghouls, with fake blood dripping down their faces and hair matted in knots? Not so cute. The word ghoul originates in the Arabic word “ghul,” which refers to an evil spirit that digs up graves and eats the dead. Some confuse ghoul with the word “gremlin,” but the two are not interchangeable. A gremlin does not gorge on the flesh of the dead; it is more a mischievous imp and troublemaker, famous for causing mechanical difficulties in World War II aircraft.
Vocabulary lists containing ghoul
The Grim Reader: Wicked Words of Grave Importance for Halloween
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English Words Derived from Arabic
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Nine Stories
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Suturing Mary Shelley’s novel to his own 21st century anti-technocrat ferocity, Guillermo del Toro cranked up his ambitions in every element from costumes to cinematography and thrillingly brought his favorite ghoul to life.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 22, 2026
Michael Keaton has reprised his role as the titular chaos-causing ghoul in the sequel.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2024
Well, anyone that's spent any time in Hollywood can become a ghoul.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2024
Ever since the ghoul of high inflation was broken in the 1980s, the Federal Reserve has been quick to aid the economy and financial markets during times of trouble.
From Seattle Times ● Nov. 2, 2023
Mr. Weasley was unavailable for comment, although his wife told reporters to clear off or she’d set the family ghoul on them.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
Others were more sympathetic but still unsettled by what he was doing not only to himself but also to his teenage children, who will have to deal with the ugly reactions of social-media ghouls.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 31, 2026
May none of the ghouls from that disgraceful company get to enjoy so much as a single nice breeze on the new airport’s two acres of outdoor terraces.
From Slate ● Nov. 24, 2025
Paula Dewar and her family have, for years, covered their home and outside street with hordes of ghouls, ghosts and goblins.
From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2025
These ghouls straddle the line between romance and predation, and Eggers’ Orlok is no different.
From Salon ● Dec. 24, 2024
But, judging from what Jason had said, those ruins hadn’t held any answers for him - just a bunch of ill-tempered ghouls and ghosts.
From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
