howl

Meaning

Noun

1. The protracted, mournful cry of a dog, wolf or other canid; also of other animals.
2. Any similar sound.
3. A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail.

Verb

1. To utter a loud, protracted, mournful sound or cry, as dogs and wolves often do.
2. To utter a sound expressive of pain or distress; to cry aloud and mournfully; to lament; to wail.
3. To make a noise resembling the cry of a wild beast.
4. To utter with outcry.

Synonyms

roar

wail

yell

scream

😱

cry

😢

yowl

bellow

shout

bay

bawl

bark

ululate

shriek

yelp

whine

howling

sob

😭

growl

holler

squeal

snarl

bray

hum

moan

cry loudly

thunder

🌩️

cry out

rumble

yaup

hoot

twitter

ululation

whimper

blare

yawl

baying

yammer

weep

vociferate

clamour

raise one’s voice

drawl

clamor

sough

boom

💥

rear

groan

wrawl

screech

yip

Translations

heulen

aullar

ululare

hurler

urlare

😱

uivar

hurlement

brullen

udolar

mugir

ululato

Heulen

ουρλιάζω

huilen

😢

Pronounced as (IPA)

/haʊl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: howlen

Inherited from Old English: *hūlian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: huulje

Cognate with Dutch: huilen

Cognate with Romanian: a hăuli

Cognate with Old French: ouler

Cognate with German: heulen

Cognate with Danish: hyle

Cognate with Swedish: yla

Cognate with Northern Luri: آلٛیر

In summary

From Middle English howlen, houlen, from Old English *hūlian, from Proto-West Germanic *hūilōn, from Proto-Germanic *hūwilōną, *hiuwilōną (“to howl”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *kū-, *kew- (“to howl, scream”). Likely of imitative origin.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian huulje (“to howl”), Dutch huilen (“to howl”), Romanian a hăuli (“to howl”), Old French ouler, German Low German hulen (“to howl”), German heulen (“to howl”), Danish hyle (“to howl”), Swedish yla (“to scream, yell”), Northern Luri آلٛیر (āłir, “howl”).