ghouls
|ghoul|
/ɡuːl/
(ghoul)
evil spirit
Etymology
'ghoul' originates from Arabic, specifically the word 'ghūl', where 'ghūl' meant 'demon' or 'monstrous being'.
'ghoul' entered European languages via accounts of Arabic tales (through French and English usage in the 18th century), evolving from Arabic 'ghūl' to the modern English 'ghoul'.
Initially, it meant a specific supernatural 'demon that preys on humans or corpses'; over time it broadened to include figurative uses for people who delight in death or misfortune.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a demon or undead creature in folklore and fiction that feeds on human corpses or flesh.
Many horror stories describe ghouls lurking in graveyards to feed on the dead.
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Noun 2
a person who takes a morbid pleasure in the distress or misfortune of others; someone obsessively fascinated by death or disaster.
Reporters accused the profiteers of being ghouls for celebrating the victims' suffering.
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Last updated: 2025/11/02 12:49