Ghoul
/ɡuːl/
nounB2
Definition
A ghoul is a scary, imaginary creature that usually appears in stories about ghosts or monsters. It is often said to live in graveyards and eat dead bodies. People use the word to talk about something frightening or bad from myths or horror tales.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
A monster or evil spirit from stories that eats dead bodies
- •The old tale warned about ghouls that haunt the cemetery.
- •In the horror movie, the ghoul appeared at midnight to scare the villagers.
- •Legends say ghouls live in dark places and feed on the dead.
Used to describe a person who is cruel or enjoys bad things (less common)
- •Some called him a ghoul because he seemed to enjoy others' misfortune.
- •The reporter was called a ghoul for invading the family's privacy.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ghoul" like "ghost" (A1 word), but a ghoul is more dangerous and eats dead bodies, not just a spirit
- ✓Picture a dark, creepy graveyard at night with a scary figure digging up graves
- ✓It's the feeling of fear when you hear a spooky story about monsters that come out after dark
- ✓Sounds like "ghoul" → imagine a ghostly creature with a growling sound coming from the ground
- ✓In stories like horror movies, ghouls are creatures that scare people by living among the dead
- ✓NOT like "ghost" (a spirit of a person who died), a ghoul is a monster that eats the dead bodies
- ✓NOT like "zombie" (a dead person who walks), a ghoul is more like a demon or evil creature from legends
- ✓NOT like "vampire" (drinks blood), a ghoul eats flesh from dead bodies
Try Other Words
- •Ghost: spirit of a dead person (Use when talking about spirits, not physical monsters)
- •Zombie: a dead body that moves (Use when describing walking dead, not spirits that eat corpses)
- •Demon: evil spirit (Use when emphasizing evil and supernatural power)
- •Monster: scary creature (Use for general scary beings without specific traits)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "ghoul" has no clear parts; it is a whole word
- •Etymology: from Arabic "ghūl," meaning a demon or evil spirit that eats people
- •Historical development: entered English through stories about Middle Eastern folklore and became popular in horror literature
- •Modern usage: mainly used in horror stories, movies, and to describe frightening creatures related to the dead
- •Key insight: The word carries a spooky and frightening meaning connected to death and evil spirits
Reflect & Connect
•How do ghouls in stories reflect people's fears about death and the unknown?
•Can the word "ghoul" be used to describe real people? What does that tell us about how language connects to behavior?
Fill in the blanks
1.The ghoul came out of the graveyard at night because it ___ on dead bodies.
2.People feel ___ when they hear stories about ghouls lurking in dark places.
3.Unlike a ghost, a ghoul is a creature that ___ the dead instead of just appearing.
4.In some stories, to "act like a ghoul" means to enjoy ___ or bad things happening to others.
5.Ghouls are often described as ___ in horror movies and legends.
6.The ghoul slowly ___ from the shadows, making a scary sound.
7.When someone is called a ghoul, it usually means they have a ___ attitude toward others' pain.