Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
lycanthropy. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
lycanthropy, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
lycanthropy in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
lycanthropy you have here. The definition of the word
lycanthropy will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
lycanthropy, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Ancient Greek λυκανθρωπία (lukanthrōpía), from λυκάνθρωπος (lukánthrōpos, “wolfman”). By surface analysis, lycanthrope + -y.
Pronunciation
Noun
lycanthropy (usually uncountable, plural lycanthropies)
- (mythology) The state of being a lycanthrope (or werewolf), a person who can shapeshift between the form of a human being and a wolf, often said to happen involuntarily during a full moon; werewolfdom.
- (mythology, by extension) The state of being a person who can shapeshift between the form of a human being and an animal, whether or not it is a wolf.
2014, Marijn Haverbeke, “4: Data Structures: Objects and Arrays”, in Eloquent JavaScript, 2nd Ed.: A Modern Introduction to Programming, No Starch Press, →ISBN, page 60:On one hand, Jacques is quite glad that he doesn’t have classic lycanthropy. Turning into a squirrel tends to cause fewer problems than turning into a wolf.
- A delusion in which one believes oneself to be a wolf or other wild animal.
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
See also
Further reading