Middle English Dictionary Entry
wer-wǒlf n.
Entry Info
| Forms | wer-wǒlf n. Also warwolf(e, (early) werewlf & (error) wawolfe; pl. werwolf(e)s, werewolfes, warwolves. |
| Etymology | OE were-wulf; also cp. ME wer n.(1) & wǒlf n. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
A human being supernaturally transformed into a wolf, a lycanthrope; also, a man-eating wolf [quot. c1410]; also fig. [quots. ?a1450 & last].
Associated quotations
- (c1212) Gervase of Tilbury Otia Imper.xv.in Leibnitz Script.Brunsv.(1707) [OD col.]1.895 : Vidimus…in Anglia, per lunationes homines in lupos mutari, quod hominum genus gerulfos Galli nominant, Angli vero Werewlf, dicunt; Were enim Anglice virum sonat, Wlf lupum.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)109 : Werwolf was he non wox of kinde, ac komen was he of kun þat…was ful nobul; for þe kud king of Spayne was kindely his fader.
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)2540 : Þei schuld wicche wel ȝif þei awei went, þouȝh þer were werwolfs wiþ hem foure schore!
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)33 : Ther ben some [wolves] that eten children or men and ete noon oþere flessh fro þe tyme þat þei be acherned with mennys flessh, for rather þei wolde be dede, and þei ben cleped werwolfes [vr. werewolfes] for men shuld be ‘ware’ of hem.
- a1400 Siege Jerus.(1) (LdMisc 656)1174 : Now Titus conseil haþ take þe toun to assayle, To wynne hit…of warwolues handes.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1150/29 : Sir Marrok the good knyght…was betrayed with his wyff, for he [?read: she] made hym seven yere a warwolff.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)136a : A Wawolfe [Monson: Warwolfe]: Rauus.
- c1600(?c1395) PPl.Creed (Trin-C R.3.15)459 : False profetes in þe feiþ he fulliche hem calde, In vestimentis ouium, but onlie wiþ-inne Þei ben wilde wer-wolues, þat wiln þe folk robben.