lycanthropy

ly·can·thro·py
L1Y4C3A1N1T1H4R1O1P3Y4
UK/laɪ̯ˈkæn.θɹə.piː/UK/lʌɪ̯-/UK/-ˈkan-/Canada, US/laɪ̯ˈkæn.θɹə.pi/

noun

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.

Similar
werewolfdomwerewolfismtherianthropy
OriginAncient Greek λῠκᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ →
UncommonScrabble 24
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Meanings

nounlycanthropy (usually uncountable, plural lycanthropies)

plural lycanthropies · alternative lycanthropia

  1. uncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe 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.

    Synonyms: werewolfdom, werewolfism

  2. broadlyuncountableusuallyhuman sciencesThe 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.

    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.

    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

    Synonyms: therianthropy

  3. uncountableusuallyA delusion in which one believes oneself to be a wolf or other wild animal.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe 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.

Similar
werewolfdomwerewolfism

nounThe 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.

Similar
therianthropy

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekλῠκᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ
  2. Englishlycanthropy

Borrowed from Ancient Greek λῠκᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ (lŭkănthrōpĭ́ā), from λῠκᾰ́νθρωπος (lŭkắnthrōpos, “wolfman”). By surface analysis, lycanthrope + -y (abstract noun suffix).

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek λῠκᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ
  • λῠκᾰνθρωπῐ́ᾱ (lŭkănthrōpĭ́ā)act of shapeshifting
Catalan licantropia
  • licantropiaact of shapeshifting
Finnish lykantropia
  • lykantropiaact of shapeshifting
French lycanthropie
  • lycanthropieact of shapeshifting
German Lykanthropie
  • Lykanthropieact of shapeshifting
Greek λυκανθρωπία
  • λυκανθρωπία (lykanthropía)act of shapeshifting
Hungarian likantrópia
  • likantrópiaact of shapeshifting
Malay likantropi
  • likantropiact of shapeshifting
Polish likantropia
  • likantropiaact of shapeshifting
Portuguese licantropia
  • licantropiaact of shapeshifting
Russian ликантро́пия
  • ликантро́пия (likantrópija)act of shapeshifting
Spanish licantropía
  • licantropíaact of shapeshifting
Turkish likantropi
  • likantropiact of shapeshifting
Ukrainian лікантропі́я
  • лікантропі́я (likantropíja)act of shapeshifting
Cite this entry
APA

lycanthropy. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lycanthropy

MLA

“lycanthropy.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lycanthropy. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lycanthropy,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lycanthropy.

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