ghoul (n.)

1786, goul, in the English translation of William Beckford's Orientalist novel "Vathek" (which was written in French), from Arabic ghul, an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on corpses, from ghala "he seized."

also from 1786

Entries linking to ghoul

Algol

variable star (Beta Persei) in the constellation Perseus, late 14c., literally "the Demon," from Arabic al-ghul "the demon" (see ghoul). It corresponds, in modern representations of the constellation, to the gorgon's head Perseus holds, but probably it was so called because it visibly varies in brightness every three days, which sets it apart from other bright stars.

The computer language (1959) is a contraction of algo(rithmic) l(anguage); see algorithm.

ghoulish (adj.)

1840, from ghoul + -ish. Related: Ghoulishly; ghoulishness.

Trends of ghoul

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/. Ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to Explore

body

Middle English bodi, from Old English bodig "trunk of a man or beast; the whole physical structure of a human or animal; material frame, material existence of a human; main or principal part of anything," related to Old High German botah, but otherwise of unknown origin. Not else

perpendicular

late 15c., perpendiculer, of a line, "lying at right angles to the horizon" (in astronomy, navigation, etc.), from an earlier adverb (late 14c.), "at right angles to the horizon," from Old French perpendiculer, from Late Latin perpendicularis "vertical, as a plumb line," from Lat

family

early 15c., "servants of a household," from Latin familia "family servants, domestics collectively, the servants in a household," thus also "members of a household, the estate, property; the household, including relatives and servants," abstract noun formed from famulus "servant,

conform

mid-14c., confourmen, "be obedient (to God), comply," from Old French conformer "conform (to), agree (to), make or be similar, be agreeable" (13c.) and directly from Latin conformare "to fashion, to form, to shape; educate; modify," from assimilated form of com "together" (see co

ethnic

late 15c. (earlier ethnical, early 15c.) "pagan, heathen," from Late Latin ethnicus, from Greek ethnikos "of or for a nation, national," by some writers (Polybius, etc.) "adopted to the genius or customs of a people, peculiar to a people," and among the grammarians "suited to the

conviction

mid-15c., "the proving or finding of guilt of an offense charged," from Late Latin convictionem (nominative convictio) "proof, refutation," noun of action from past-participle stem of convincere "to overcome decisively," from com-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see com-), + v

thalamus

plural thalami, 1753, "the receptacle of a flower," Modern Latin, from Latin thalamus "inner chamber, sleeping room" (hence, figuratively, "marriage, wedlock"), from Greek thalamos "inner chamber, bedroom," related to thalame "den, lair," tholos "vault, vaulted building." Used in

cousin

early 13c., "a collateral blood relative more remote than a brother or sister" (mid-12c. as a surname), from Old French cosin "nephew; kinsman; cousin" (12c., Modern French cousin), from Latin consobrinus "cousin," originally "mother's sister's son," from assimilated form of com

compromise

early 15c., "a joint promise to abide by an arbiter's decision," from Old French compromis (13c.), from Late Latin compromissus, past participle of compromittere "to make a mutual promise" (to abide by the arbiter's decision), from com "with, together" (see com-) + promittere "to

rose

a fragrant shrub noted for its beauty and its thorns, cultivated from remote antiquity, Old English rose, from Latin rosa (source of Italian and Spanish rosa, French rose; also source of Dutch roos, German Rose, Swedish ros, Serbo-Croatian ruža, Polish róża, Russian roza, Lithuan

Share ghoul

‘cite’

Page URL:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul

HTML Link:

<a href="https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul">Etymology of ghoul by etymonline</a>

APA style:

Harper, D. (n.d.). Etymology of ghoul. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved $(datetime), from https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul

Chicago style:

Harper Douglas, “Etymology of ghoul,” Online Etymology Dictionary, accessed $(datetime), https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul.

MLA style:

Harper, Douglas. “Etymology of ghoul.” Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul. Accessed $(datetimeMla).

IEEE style:

D. Harper. “Etymology of ghoul.” Online Etymology Dictionary. https://www.etymonline.com/word/ghoul (accessed $(datetime)).

updated on September 28, 2017

Remove ads >

Trending words

1. autumn
2. amen
3. virgin
4. hospitality
5. teacher
6. pride
7. chaos
8. empathy
9. deluge
10. ensconce

Dictionary entries near ghoul

Ghibelline

*ghieh-

ghost

*ghos-ti-

ghostly

ghoul

ghoulish

*ghredh-

*ghrei-

*ghwer-

giant