woodwose

W4O1O1D2W4O1S1E1
/ˈwʊdwəʊz/

noun

A wild man of the woods; a faun or satyr, or a representation of such a being in heraldry or other decoration.

Scrabble 15

Meanings

nounwoodwose (plural woodwoses)

plural woodwoses

  1. A wild man of the woods; a faun or satyr, or a representation of such a being in heraldry or other decoration.

    The young woodwose had now closed his eyes and was stretched out supine on the pool's marble margin; his Tarzan brief had been cast aside on the turf.

    1962, Vladimir Nabokov, Pale Fire
    1 more example

    'If the cub has a grievance, let him bring it to the King's judgement,' answered Saeros. 'But the drawing of swords here is not to be excused for any such cause. Outside the hall, if the woodwose draws on me, I shall kill him.'

    2007, J. R. R. Tolkien edited by Christopher Tolkien, The Children of Húrin

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

  1. Old Englishwuduwāsa
  2. Middle Englishwodwo
  3. Englishwoodwose

From Middle English wodwo, from Old English wuduwāsa.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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