Wendigo
/ˈwɛn.dɪ.ɡoʊ/noun
A mythological cannibal spirit or monster in Algonquian traditions, often associated with greed, winter, and starvation.
Did you know?The word comes from an Algonquian-language tradition, and the creature’s terrifying hunger is a cultural warning about greed and the social breakdown that can come with famine.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Algonquian
PA
*wi·nteko·wa
“A spirit or being associated with cannibalism, starvation, or dangerous excess”
Ojibwe / Cree tradition
Algonquian
wiindigoo / wîhtikow
“A cannibal spirit or monstrous being linked to famine and taboo hunger”
19th Century
English
wendigo
“An adopted English spelling of the Indigenous monster name”
Modern English
English
wendigo
“A legendary cannibal spirit or monster in North American folklore”