werewolf

or wer·wolf

[ wair-woolf, weer-, wur- ]

noun

, plural were·wolves [wair, -w, oo, lvz, weer, -, wur, -].

1. (in folklore and superstition) a human being who has changed into a wolf, or is capable of assuming the form of a wolf, while retaining human intelligence.

werewolf

/ ˈwɛə-; ˈwɪəˌwʊlf /

noun

1. a person fabled in folklore and superstition to have been changed into a wolf by being bewitched or said to be able to assume wolf form at will

Word History and Origins

Origin of werewolf¹

before 1000; Middle English werwolf, Old English werwulf, equivalent to wer man (cognate with Gothic wair, Latin vir ) + wulf wolf; cognate with Middle Dutch weerwolf, Old High German werwolf

Word History and Origins

Origin of werewolf¹

Old English werewulf, from wer man + wulf wolf ; related to Old High German werwolf, Middle Dutch weerwolf

Example Sentences

Dead animals littered the side of the road; deer, raccoons, something that looked like a purple jackal, a Chupacabra or two, what looked like a werewolf, and at least one low-flying turkey vulture.

From Salon

In Forks, a thriving commerce has grown up around the “Twilight” saga, drawing a steady stream of visitors to wander where its fictional werewolves and vampires roam.

From Los Angeles Times

“No, no, it’s not scary. It’s just fun. All the kids will wear costumes. Richie’s going to be a werewolf. So what are you going to wear? A fur coat?”

From Literature

Who knows if “Oh, Mary!” will be among the first of many reclamations of Mary Todd Lincoln as werewolf, mercenary or other genre trope.

From New York Times

And while Quibi focused on more highbrow content with A-list stars, ReelShort is doing the opposite: It’s giving people juicy plot points, from werewolves to evil step mothers to secret billionaire husbands to more werewolves.

From New York Times

Related Words

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• freak
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