Find the word definition

Crossword clues for ghoul

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
ghoul
noun
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ Also to be considered are the many strange accounts of werewolves, vampires, apart from ghosts and ghouls.
▪ Reynard questions this repulsive ghoul, with neither hope nor disappointment.
▪ Then the ghoul will rob the corpse of the interred jewellery and devour the newly dead flesh with its sharp fangs.
▪ Thursday night concessionary prices to all who dress as zombies or ghouls.
▪ What is this shuffling ghoul you present to me?
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Ghoul

Ghoul \Ghoul\ (g[=oo]l), n. [Per. gh[=o]l an imaginary sylvan demon, supposed to devour men and animals: cf. Ar. gh[=u]l, F. goule.] An imaginary evil being among Eastern nations, which was supposed to feed upon human bodies. [Written also ghole .]
--Moore.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
ghoul

1786, in the English translation of Beckford's "Vathek," from Arabic ghul, an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on corpses, from ghala "he seized."

Wiktionary
ghoul

n. 1 (context mythology folklore English) A spirit said to feed on corpses. 2 A graverobber 3 A person with an undue interest in death and corpses.

WordNet
ghoul
  1. n. someone who takes bodies from graves and sells them for anatomical dissection [syn: graverobber, body snatcher]

  2. an evil spirit or ghost

Wikipedia
Ghoul

A ghoul is a monster or evil spirit in Arabian mythology, associated with graveyards and consuming human flesh. The oldest surviving literature that mention ghouls is likely One Thousand and One Nights. The term was first used in English literature in 1786, in William Beckford's Orientalist novel Vathek, which describes the ghūl of Arabian folklore. In modern fiction, the term has often been used for a certain kind of undead monster. By extension, the word ghoul is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who delights in the macabre, or whose profession is linked directly to death, such as a gravedigger or graverobber.

Ghoul (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons and Dragons roleplaying game, ghouls are monstrous, undead humans who reek of carrion.

Ghoul (Ultraverse)

Ghoul is a character from Malibu Comics' Ultraverse continuity. He was created by Steve Gerber, R.R. Phipps, Dave Olbrich, Chris Ulm, and Tom Mason. Ghoul first appeared in '' Exiles #1.

Ghoul (disambiguation)

A ghoul is an evil spirit from Arabian folklore.

Ghoul may also refer to:

Ghoul (band)

Ghoul is an American thrash metal band from Oakland, California, United States. Though the members' actual identities are meant to be concealed, it is known that some members or past members of Ghoul also play or have played in other bands such as Impaled, Dystopia, Wolves in the Throne Room, Exhumed, Phobia, Asunder and Morbosidad. Ghoul released their debut album in 2002 and since then have released four studio albums.

Ghoul (novel)

Ghoul is a horror novel by Brian Keene, first published in 2007

Ghoul (2015 film)

Ghoul is a 2015 Czech 3D horror film directed by Petr Jákl, written by Jákl and Petr Bok, and starring Jennifer Armour, Jeremy Isabella, and Paul S. Tracey. An American film crew goes to Ukraine to investigate stories of widespread cannibalism, only to summon the spirit of Andrei Chikatilo, a notorious serial killer and cannibal. It is shot in found footage format.

Usage examples of "ghoul".

I overheard an Afrite whispering to a female Ghoul he wanted to seduce.

Surely ghouls and ghosts, goblins and monsters, had no power over those who were properly groomed, deodorized, fluoridated, dressed, fed, employed, and motivated.

On nights like this Bella had no difficulty in believing the Highland tales of ghosties and ghouls and monsters in the lochs.

I think it was the dark rumor and legendry, the tales of one buried for five centuries, who had himself been a ghoul in his time and had stolen a potent thing from a mighty sepulchre.

Carter recalled that it lies in the valley below Leng, and recalled likewise that he had seen in Dylath-Leen a sinister, slant-eyed old merchant reputed to trade on Leng, therefore he advised the ghouls to seek out Dylath-Leen, crossing the fields to Nir and the Skai and following the river to its mouth.

Now, he was determined to fulfill it, to fulfill it in a way I could not mistake, using Ghoul and Bonedancer, Rancelman and Exorcist-all of them with Necromantic Talents.

Any other man on the face of Toril might have at least hesitated before jumping into an open grave with two reeking, putrescent, flesh-gorged ghouls.

Again the ghoul twisted into a tetanic arc as the strong muscles of its back tried to pull its head and feet together.

I glanced at Tindal, who stood off to the side, looking almost as gray as the ghouls.

It was a singsong, as Raylee held her hands out, appleless, and stepped into the circle of ghouls.

Clearly it was wisest to creep east to the plaza of twin lions and descend at once to the gulf, where assuredly he would meet no horrors worse than those above, and where he might soon find ghouls eager to rescue their brethren and perhaps to wipe out the moonbeasts from the black galley.

A smallish gang of werewolves and ghouls who did not come up to his recently rebuckled belt were being escorted down the street under the protective eyes of two moms.

The Wizard Ponders on This New Paradox Long Into the Night, Taking the Opportunity to Educate the Dwarf Not Only On Trolls But On All Other Manner of Fearsome and Unnatural Monsters, Among Which He Touches Upon, If Only In Passing, Such Creatures As Vampires, Ghouls, Ghasts, Goblins, Hobgoblins, Orcs, Wargs, Werewolves, Ettins, Not To Mention the Divers and Sundry Breeds of Demons, Daemons, Devils and Demodands.

Descriptions ranged from a pale-blue multitentacled squid-thing that waited in the snow for travelers the way an antlion ambushes its prey, to a ghoul with a legion of skeletal zombies at its beck and call.

He seemed like a ghoul or some sort of necrophiliac, yet the look on his face showed he was clearly suffering.