ghoul

A ghoul (from , ) is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid, often associated with graveyards and the consumption of human flesh. The concept originated in pre-Islamic Arabian religion. Modern fiction often uses the term to label a specific kind of monster. By extension, the word ghoul is also used in a derogatory sense to refer to a person who delights in the macabre or whose occupation directly involves death, such as a gravedigger or graverobber. Etymology Ghoul is from the Arabic ghūl, from ghāla, "to seize". In Arabic, the term is also sometimes used to describe a greedy or gluttonous individual. The term was first used in English literature in 1786 in William Beckford's Orientalist novel Vathek, which describes the ghūl of Arabic folklore. This definition of the ghoul has persisted until modern times with ghouls appearing in popular culture.