ghoul
UK[ɡuːl]US[ɡuːl]
n
An evil spirit or phantom in Arabic folklore, said to rob graves and feed on corpses.
n
A person with an unnatural interest in death or disaster.
Etymology
The word 'ghoul' is a direct borrowing from Arabic folklore, entering the English lexicon in the late 18th century via translations of "One Thousand and One Nights." Its Arabic source, ghūl, denotes a specific type of desert-dwelling demon that preys on the living and consumes the dead. This vivid cultural concept was adopted into Western Gothic and horror traditions, where it retained its core association with graveyards and consumption of flesh. Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to describe a person who shows a morbid or revolting interest in sinister subjects.
Analysis
The word is a simplex loanword. It entered English from Arabic غُول (ghūl), a demon or evil spirit believed to inhabit desolate places and consume human flesh. The Arabic term is likely derived from the root غ و ل (ḡ-w-l), relating to seizing or attacking.
Examples
The old tales described a ghoul lurking in the cemetery, waiting to unearth its next meal.
He was accused of being a ghoul for his obsessive collection of news clippings about tragedies.
The creature in the film was more of a traditional ghoul than a vampire.