Definition of Ghoul

1. Noun. Someone who takes bodies from graves and sells them for anatomical dissection.

Exact synonyms: Body Snatcher, Graverobber
Generic synonyms: Stealer, Thief

2. Noun. An evil spirit or ghost.
Generic synonyms: Evil Spirit

Definition of Ghoul

1. n. An imaginary evil being among Eastern nations, which was supposed to feed upon human bodies.

Definition of Ghoul

1. Noun. (mythology folklore) A spirit said to feed on corpses. ¹

2. Noun. A graverobber; a person with an undue interest in death and corpses. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Ghoul

1. a demon [n -S] : GHOULISH [adj] - See also: demon

Lexicographical Neighbors of Ghoul

ghostly
ghostologies
ghostology
ghosts
ghostship
ghostships
ghostwrite
ghostwriter
ghostwriters
ghostwrites
ghostwriting
ghostwritten
ghostwrote
ghosty
ghoti
ghoul (current term)
ghoul hand
ghoulie
ghoulies
ghoulish
ghoulishly
ghoulishness
ghoulishnesses
ghouls
ghrelin
ghrelins
ghutra
ghutras
ghyll
ghylls

Literary usage of Ghoul

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Scandinavian Folk-lore: Illustrations of the Traditional Beliefs of the by William Alexander Craigie (1896)
"The Grav-so or ghoul. THIS monster is properly a treasure-watcher, ... If any one digs for it, he may always be certain of meeting a ghoul, and that is hard ..."

2. The Cyclopædia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia: Commercial by Edward Balfour (1885)
"... not far from Tehran, bearing the portentous name of Malik-al-Mout Darrah, or ' Valley of the Angel of Death.' The ghoul resembles the ..."

3. The Mikado's Empire by William Elliot Griffis (1876)
"The ghoul was so frightened that it ran away, leaving its hairy arm and claws. ... Now, this old woman was nothing more than a ghoul in disguise. ..."

4. Demonology and Devil-lore by Moncure Daniel Conway (1879)
"... custom —Sheitan as moon-devourer—Hindu offerings to the dead— ghoul—Goblin—Vampyres—Leanness of demons—Old Scotch custom.—The origin of sacrifices. ..."

5. A Thousand Miles on an Elephant in the Shan States by Holt Samuel Hallett (1890)
"... AND DEMON WORSHIP — SHAN DYNASTIES IN BURMAH— ZIMME UNDER THE BURMESE—RULES FOR HOUSE-BUILDING POSSESSING A ghoul — THE SHADOW SPIRIT — KISSING WITH THE ..."

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