howl

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a long loud emotional utterance

   The dog let out a howl of pain.

2. 2
   noun

   a loud sustained noise resembling the cry of a hound

   The howl of the wind made the old house seem haunted.

3. 3
   verb

   make a loud noise, as of wind, water, or vehicles

   The wind was howling in the trees.

4. 4
   verb

   cry loudly, as of animals

   The coyotes were howling in the desert.

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”).

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