werewolf

noun

were·​wolf ˈwer-ˌwu̇lf  ˈwir-  ˈwər- 

plural werewolves ˈwer-ˌwu̇lvz  ˈwir- 

ˈwər-

: a person transformed into a wolf or capable of assuming a wolf's form

Did you know?

Although English sometimes makes use of other words for howling humanoid beasties, werewolf is the leader of the pack. It’s also an ancient word, tracing all the way back to the Old English werwulf, and before that to a prehistoric predecessor that also left its paw prints on German (Werwolf) and Dutch (weerwolf). Synonyms for werewolf in English include the obscure lycanthrope, which has roots in two Greek words (lykos, meaning "wolf," and anthrōpos, meaning "human being"), and loup-garou, which comes from Old French. Whichever you use, the lycanthropic creatures these words refer to most often assume wolf form during a full moon—at least in works of fiction. There are no credible studies to date on the behavior of real-life werewolves, as scientists have yet to find the silver bullet that proves they exist.

Examples of werewolf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Bob, stuck at home on painkillers thanks to an injury, believes that Teddy (who is serving as his nurse for the episode) is, in fact, the wolf: a werewolf, that is. —Lillian Brown, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024

Instead of staking vampires or werewolves, people executives are confronting office bullies and lackluster managers. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 31 Oct. 2024

The pressure to continuously upskill and adapt can be as relentless as a werewolf's transformation under the full moon. —Jack Kelly, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024

David Naughton is great as the backpacker who survives an attack by a werewolf, but Griffin Dunne steals the show as his deteriorating, jokester friend who does not. —Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English werwulf (akin to Old High German werwolf werewolf), from wer man + wulf wolf — more at virile, wolf

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

werewolf

noun

were·​wolf ˈwi(ə)r-ˌwu̇lf  ˈwe(ə)r-  ˈwər- 

plural werewolves -ˌwu̇lvz 

: a person changed or able to change into a wolf

Etymology

Old English werwulf "werewolf," from wer "man" and wulf "wolf"

Word Origin

Many countries have legends about people who changed into savage wolflike creatures. Often these people were thought to keep their human shape during the day. At night, however, they were transformed into hungry monsters that killed and then ate their human victims. A full moon was sometimes seen as the force that turned people into werewolves. People who changed into these monsters were thought to have inherited the condition or to have been bitten by another werewolf. No one is sure how these stories got started or why so many different groups of people believed in them. We are sure, though, that Modern English werewolf comes from Old English werwulf, a compound of wer, meaning "man," and wulf, "wolf."