The word 'vampire' entered English in the early 18th century from French 'vampire', which itself came from German 'Vampir'. The German term has its origins in Slavic languages, most likely from Serbian 'вампир' (vampir). The ultimate source is uncertain but may be linked to the Turkic word 'uber', meaning 'witch'. The journey of this word into Western European languages was propelled by the widespread folklore reports and superstitions concerning blood-drinking revenants from Eastern Europe. The modern abstract meaning of a predatory person evolved as a metaphorical extension of the creature's parasitic, life-draining nature.

The word 'vampire' is a loanword, borrowed as a whole unit into English. Its spelling and form were not constructed from separate, identifiable English morphemes.