Ankou

A1N1K5O1U1

proper noun

The personification of death in Celtic mythology.

OriginFrench Ankou ← Breton Ankoù →
Scrabble 9
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. Celtic mythologyThe personification of death in Celtic mythology.

    In the blackness of the night the muttering or yelling figures moved about like some spectral creatures from hellish regions—the Ankous of Brittany who call to those about to die[.]

    1906, Baroness Orczy, chapter 27, in I Will Repay, London

Origin

  1. BretonAnkoù
  2. FrenchAnkou
  3. EnglishAnkou

Borrowed from French Ankou, from Breton Ankoù.

More words from French, Breton

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan Ankú
  • Ankúpersonification of death in Celtic mythology
French Ankou
  • Ankoupersonification of death in Celtic mythology
Portuguese Ankou
  • Ankoupersonification of death in Celtic mythology
Russian Анку́
  • Анку́ (Ankú)personification of death in Celtic mythology
Ukrainian Анку
  • Анку (Anku)personification of death in Celtic mythology
Welsh yr Angau
  • yr Angaupersonification of death in Celtic mythology
Cite this entry
APA

Ankou. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ankou

MLA

“Ankou.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ankou. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ankou,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ankou.

Source: Ankou on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.