banshee

Or ban·shie

[ban-shee, ban-shee]

noun

1. (in Irish folklore) a spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to or is heard by members of a family as a sign that one of them is about to die.

banshee

/ ˈbænʃiː, bænˈʃiː /

noun

1. (in Irish folklore) a female spirit whose wailing warns of impending death

Word History and Origins

Origin of banshee¹

First recorded in 1765–75; from Irish bean sídhe “woman of a fairy mound”; bean “woman” (from Old Irish ben; queen ) + sídhe “of a fairy mound” (from Old Irish síde, genitive of síd “fairy mound”; sídh )

Word History and Origins

Origin of banshee¹

C18: from Irish Gaelic bean sídhe , literally: woman of the fairy mound

Example Sentences

“Didn’t mean to shriek like a banshee! I was startled, is all. It was so lifelike! She’s a talented lass, isn’t she?”

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It was the fewest points the Lakers had scored in a playoff win since 1991 — a real celebration of the banshee stuff the coaches had been preaching for months.

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When he heard the news he says he “wailed like a banshee for 20 minutes”.

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At the same time, he continues to throw himself a great pity party, wraps himself in his solipsistic view of victimhood, wailing like a banshee and gnashing his teeth in anger.

Read more on Salon

At times sweet naif, at times screaming banshee, she seems not quite human, like the strange half-duck/half-dog creature that follows her around the scientist’s house.

Read more on Seattle Times

Related Words

• demon 
• devil 
• phantom 
• shadow 
• soul 
• specter 
• vampire 
• vision