Wodewose
/ˈwʊd.wuːz/noun
A wild man of the woods, especially in medieval art and folklore.
Did you know?The word is an old English form tied to medieval wild-man legends, and its eerie look was later reshaped by folk etymology into forms that seem to echo “wood” and “wose” as if the forest itself were speaking.
Etymological Timeline
Old English / Middle English
English
wudewasa / wodewose
“A wild man of the woods; a savage or uncivilized forest being”
Old High German
OHG
wuotwàs
“A wild man; a mad or possessed person”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wōdaz
“Possessed, frenzied, inspired, mad”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weh₂t- / *u̯at-
“To be excited, inspired, or furious”
Explore more surprising origins