ghoul

[ gool ]

noun

1. an evil demon, originally of Muslim legend, supposed to feed on human beings, and especially to rob graves, prey on corpses, etc.
2. a grave robber.
3. a person who revels in what is revolting.

ghoul

/ ɡuːl /

noun

1. a malevolent spirit or ghost
2. a person interested in morbid or disgusting things
3. a person who robs graves
4. (in Muslim legend) an evil demon thought to eat human bodies, either stolen corpses or children

Word History and Origins

Origin of ghoul¹

First recorded in 1780–90, ghoul is from the Arabic word ghūl

Word History and Origins

Origin of ghoul¹

C18: from Arabic ghūl, from ghāla he seized

Example Sentences

Alma grows frantic when she spots three of the pointy-toothed ghouls outside her window.

From The Daily Beast

Sometimes it feels as if jump-scare-loving ghouls have settled into my sock drawer and under my desk, and I have no way of knowing when they’ll choose to pop out.

From Popular-Science

The king and queen are the highest-ranking of the “alpha” class of zombies—a smarter, more organized, more nightmarish strain than your average ghoul—and one of the movie’s most striking innovations.

From The Daily Beast

The month comes to a close with Halloween, a spooky, scary time when the nation is haunted by a relentless onslaught of political attack ads in which basically every candidate for public office is depicted as a hideous, bloodsucking ghoul.

From Washington Post

All Hallows’ Eve — where any guy, ghoul, or being from the Necronomicon can escape the spooky zone — is the source of my freaky Friday experiment I wish to share with you all.

From Essence.com

King Joffrey Baratheon ingesting poison and transforming into a bloodied ghoul during the Purple Wedding.

From The Daily Beast

The ghoul that keeps Putin awake at night is a Ukrainian Cossack.

From The Daily Beast

In Arabic legend, a ghoul is a creature that eats both stolen corpses and children.

From The Daily Beast

He may have meant no more than Emerson, who pictured ill health as a ghoul preying on the heart and life of its victims.

From Project Gutenberg

The moonlight made Smith's sallow, disfigured face so much more ghastly than usual, that he had the air of a ghoul or vampyre.

From Project Gutenberg

Standing straight, protect us by thy splendor from evil; burn down every ghoul.

From Project Gutenberg

Of both portions Jennet and Ellen partook, and would have had Grace join them in the ghoul-like repast, but she refused.

From Project Gutenberg

It will cause a woman to fall in love with a ghoul, not to speak of one so tall and handsome as Raymond Lulli.

From Project Gutenberg