ghoul

plural ghouls · alternative ghole

1. human sciencesA demon said to feed on corpses.

   The other chamber had shown a pack of ghouls and witches over-running the world of our forefathers, but this one brought the horror right into our own daily life!.

   1927, H.P. Lovecraft, Pickman's Model

   2 more examples

   From my laboratory in the Castle east To the master bedroom, where the vampires feast The ghouls all came from their humble abodes To get a jolt from my electrodes They did the Mash They did the Monster Mash.

   1962, “Monster Mash”, Bobby "Boris" Pickett and Lenny Capizzi (lyrics), performed by Bobby (Boris) Pickett and The Crypt-Kickers

   “Yeah, Mum’s always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing,” said George. “But all we’ve got is a lousy old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. [...]”

   1999, J. K. Rowling, “Chapter 3: The Burrow”, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

2. A graverobber.

   Police went to the cemetery at Trafalgar, near Yallourn, and discovered that a woman's body had been stolen from a grave. They were satisfied it was the same body found at Yallourn - but made no progress in running down the ghouls responsible for the outrage.

   1965, Attila Zohar, Kings Cross Black Magic, Sydney: Horwitz Publications, page 38

   1 more example

   We would not say that under no circumstances ought a grave to be opened; but it ought to be opened like a grave and not like a burglar-proof safe. […] And some of us enter it, if not without knocking, certainly without taking our hats off. We should not so much mind these eminent persons being ghouls, if only they were modest and apologetic ghouls.

   1926 February 13, G. K. Chesterton, editor, G.K.’s Weekly, volume 2, number 48, page 541

3. A person with an undue interest in death and corpses, or more generally in things that are revolting and repulsive.

   Cars were parked on both sides of the highway, the usual ghouls, of both sexes.

   1939, Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep, →ISBN, page 45

4. colloquialderogatoryA person with a callous or uncaring attitude to human life and suffering, particularly when prioritizing economic concerns.

   1 more example

   Restored to bumptiousness, Peter arrived jauntily in the kitchen, to survey Mrs Dibble's body as a spectacle new to him, and remark, "So the old trout's done herself in properly this time, I'm told. About time she did, the way she's been going on here." "Shut up, you old ghoul, and help Dr Grimsby to carry her upstairs."

   1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 195