howl
/ˈhaʊ̯l/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.18 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To utter a sound expressive of pain or distress; to cry aloud and mournfully; to lament; to wail.
Example Sentences
- "[T]he fox was out on love-adventures, abused his rivals, and uttered scoffing screams and howls."
- "All at once the cat thrust her paw inside the ring again, but the tailor was quick as lightning and chopped the paw off. The cats set up a terrible howl, and away they rushed through the door as fast as they could."
- "Dan was beginning to feel very depressed when suddenly the eerie howl of a dingo rang out[.]"
- "The howl of the wind"
- "Methought a legion of foul fiends / Environ'd me about, and howled in my ears."
- "VVhen ominus ſignes to ſhew themſelues began, / That novv at hand this monſtrous birth fore-ran: / About at noone flew the affrighted Ovvle, / And dogs in corners ſet them dovvne to hovvle: […]"
Etymology
From Middle English howlen, houlen, from Old English *hūlian, from Proto-West Germanic *hūilōn, from Proto-Germanic *hūwilōną, *hiuwilōną (“to howl”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *kū-, *kew- (“to howl, scream”). Likely of imitative origin. Cognate with Saterland Frisian huulje (“to howl”), Dutch huilen (“to cry”), Romanian a hăuli (“to howl”), Old French ouler, German Low German hulen (“to howl”), German heulen (“to howl”), Danish hyle (“to howl”), Swedish yla (“to scream, yell”), Northern Luri آلٛیر (āłir, “howl”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: howlen, *hūlian, *hūilōn, *hūwilōną, *kū-
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈhaʊ̯l/
- British English: /ˈhaʊ̯l/