were-

See also were, and we're

English

Etymology

Back-formation from werewolf (“man-wolf”), from Old English werwulf, derived from wer (“man”), from Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós (“man”) + wulf (“wolf”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /weə(ɹ)/ X-SAMPA: /wE@(r)/

Prefix

were-

1. man; prefix most commonly used with animal names to indicate a person who changes shape into that animal.

Translations

man

• French: garou (fr)
• Japanese: 人間 (ja) (ningen)

• Lithuanian: -takas m; -takė f
• Norwegian: var- (no)

Derived terms

[+] English words prefixed with were-

• wereboar
• wereman
• werewoman

Related terms

• were
• weregild (also wergeld)
• werewolf
• world

See also

• lycanthropy
• shapeshifting
• shapeshifter