werewolf
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of werewolf
before 1000; Middle English werwolf, Old English werwulf, equivalent to wer man (cognate with Gothic wair, Latin vir ) + wulf wolf; cognate with Middle Dutch weerwolf, Old High German werwolf
Explanation
In European folklore, a werewolf is a man who turns into a dangerous animal at night. According to legend, the transformation of a werewolf is triggered by a full moon. Stories of werewolves have existed for thousands of years, but belief in werewolves became widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages. Today, these creatures are popular monsters that appear in books, movies, television, video games, and more. The were in werewolf comes from the Old English word wer, meaning "man."
Vocabulary lists containing werewolf
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Robert Eggers calls his upcoming medieval werewolf movie the “darkest thing I have ever written, by far.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026
The dangers of even one of them being a werewolf are so obvious they need not be expounded upon.
From Scientific American • Oct. 27, 2023
If you were a fan of “Teddy,” that other oddball French drama about a young werewolf, you’ll fall for this film’s charms.
From New York Times • Apr. 28, 2023
Everyone who's coming through that door, no matter if they are a horse or a vampire or a female werewolf, those people are going to be treated with the utmost respect.
From Salon • Feb. 7, 2023
“Do you remember the movie Uncle Arthur took us to last year? The one where the werewolf creeps out of the cave to attack the unicorn?”
From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
