English
ghoul
Ghoul comes from Arabic غُول ‘ghoul, desert demon’.
- Arabicc. 500–presentغُولḡūl‘ghoul, desert demon’
- Persianc. 900–presentغولġul
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgoule
- Englishearliest quotation 1926ghoul
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Arabicc. 500–presentغُولḡūl‘ghoul, desert demon’
- Persianc. 900–presentغولġul
- Frenchc. 1600–presentgoule
- Englishearliest quotation 1926ghoul
Earliest quotation: 1926, G. K. Chesterton, G.K.’s Weekly: “We would not say that under no circumstances ought…”
Every English word from Arabic غُول
Today it means
noun A demon said to feed on corpses.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Arabic غُول / ghoul