What does ghoul mean?
A ghoul is a word with both a supernatural meaning and a strongly figurative one. In traditional Arabic folklore, a ghoul is an evil spirit associated with graveyards and the consumption of corpses, which accounts for the word's enduring connection with horror literature. In modern usage, calling someone a ghoul usually portrays that person as grotesque, repulsive, vicious, or dehumanized, often suggesting that they exploit or consume what they should not. The related verb means to eat greedily or voraciously, though it is mainly informal and much less common than the noun. These usages make ghoul especially vivid in descriptions of monsters, morally disturbing people, and scenes involving unnatural appetites. It remains recognizable in British and American English and is valued for the way a single word can evoke both folklore and a forceful figurative criticism.
An evil spirit, especially one from Arabic folklore that preys on the dead; also, figuratively, a grotesque, repulsive, or vicious person.
"The crypt was said to be haunted by a ghoul that fed on anyone who entered after midnight."
The figurative sense is now at least as common as the literal supernatural one.
To eat greedily or voraciously.
"The hungry children ghouled down the sandwiches in minutes."
Informal and relatively uncommon.
The regular plural is used for both supernatural ghouls and figurative references to grotesque or vicious people.
"The ruins were said to be haunted by ghouls that emerged after dark."
A ghoul comes straight from Arabic folklore: it was once believed to roam cemeteries, exhume the dead, and feast on their bodies.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does ghoul come from?
Ghoul comes through English from the Arabic word ghūl, meaning a demon or evil spirit, particularly one said to prey on human corpses. It entered English in the early 17th century through European translations and retellings of Arabic tales, including stories associated with the Arabian Nights. Its literary meaning expanded from a specific supernatural creature to a general term for a hideous or morally abhorrent being.
Related word forms
How ghoul is actually used
As a noun, ghoul combines a literal supernatural sense with a strongly figurative sense for someone cruel, repellent, or grotesquely ravenous. As a verb, it is informal and conveys greedy or voracious eating.
Easily confused with ghoul
A ghoul is pronounced with a long “oo” sound and may refer to a monstrous or repulsive being, whereas a gull is a seabird.