wolvish

English

Etymology

wolf +‎ -ish, with wolf inflected as in wolves.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈwʊlviʃ/

Adjective

wolvish (comparative more wolvish, superlative most wolvish)

1. Alternative spelling of wolfish.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:

     When she shall hear this of thee, with her nails
     She'll flay thy wolvish visage.

   • 2003 March 20, The Paducah Sun, volume 107, number 79, Paducah, Ky., page 1A:

     Good shepherd / Tubby has protected players, beat off wolvish critics for years. How his flock has grown.

   • 2005, John Crowley, Lord Byron’s Novel: The Evening Land, William Morrow, →ISBN, page 23:

     His wolvish teeth now displayed in a gladsome smile, he takes hold of Ali’s arm, that still bears the useless pistol; […]

   • 2006 February 9, Daily Herald, volume 83, number 193, page 11, column 4:

     The sequel to the surprise hit film about vampires and werewolves brings back both unlikely action hero Kate Beckinsale, a vampire, and her wolvish paramour (Scott Speedman).

   • 2006 June 19, Chris Hewett, “Unnatural selection leaves England way behind Wallabies”, in The Independent, number 6,138, page 52, column 3:

     “I felt sorry for Tom, in particular,” confessed Robinson, having seen the Leicester teenager thrown whole into the wolvish lair of the magnificently threatening Tuqiri.

   • 2015, James Enge (pseudonym; James M. Pfundstein), The Wide World’s End (A Tournament of Shadows; book three), Amherst, N.Y.: Pyr, →ISBN, page 286:

     “You,” Morlock said to the werewolf on the next bench. “What are you, really?” The wolvish face looked on him, its reflective eyes as bright as little moons.

   • 2017 April 16, Lawrence Toppman, “9 reasons you must meet the Wyeths at the Mint”, in The Charlotte Observer, volume 148, number 106, page 4C:

     This cover illustration for Washington Irving’s tale blends reality – the torn-coated rural New Yorker and his wolvish dog – with fantasy embodied by old Rip, a red-nosed rake with an absurdly plumed hat, sly expression and long white beard.