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banshee

noun
ban·​shee | \ ˈban-(ˌ)shē How to pronounce banshee (audio) , ban-ˈshē How to pronounce banshee (audio) \

Definition of banshee

: a female spirit in Gaelic folklore whose appearance or wailing warns a family that one of them will soon die We heard someone screaming like a banshee.
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Did You Know?

In Irish folklore, a "bean sidhe" (literally "woman of fairyland") was not a welcome guest. When she was seen combing her hair or heard wailing beneath a window, it was considered a sign that a family member was about to die. English speakers modified the mournful fairy's Irish name into the modern word banshee - a term we now most often use to evoke her woeful or terrible or earsplitting cry, as in "to scream like a banshee," or attributively, "a banshee wail."

Examples of banshee in a Sentence

I heard someone wailing like a banshee.

Recent Examples on the Web

 Seabirds howl like banshees, and seal colonies, numbering in the thousands, bubble and blip among the waves. — Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, "Going Off-Grid in Namibia," 21 Dec. 2018 Maddon exploded like an M-80 on the Fourth of July at PNC Park, charging out of the Cubs dugout and screaming like a banshee in the general direction of Pirates manager Clint Hurdle before being held back by Kris Bryant and umpire Joe West. — Paul Sullivan, chicagotribune.com, "4 people to watch as the Cubs and White Sox resume the City Series on the South Side," 5 July 2019 The inconstant, tympanic thrumming of the fabric is an intonation underlying one shrieking run after another of banshee notes, some of them single tones within the squalling wind that sustain themselves for several seconds before dropping an octave. — Barry Lopez, Harper's magazine, "Polar Light," 10 Jan. 2019 Winds batter ridges where seabirds howl like banshees, and jackals stalk baroque canyons of soft crumbling rock. — Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, "Going Off-Grid in Namibia," 21 Dec. 2018 Disney Enterprises has been seeking new patents for ride technology that could pick a route for your car — or boat or banshee — based on how frightened the guest is. — Paul Brinkmann, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Disney World ride scaring you? New tech could adapt to your mood," 8 Mar. 2018 As a digital clock hit that mark, civil defense alarms screamed like banshees letting the estimated 45,000 in attendance know that the walk was officially underway. — Marty Pearl, The Courier-Journal, "Louisville zombie fest runs amok on Bardstown," 27 Aug. 2017 The tunes helpfully explain not only the meaning of the show’s title but also elements of Irish folklore like leprechauns, banshees and rainbows. — Laurel Graeber, New York Times, "7 Things to Do With Your Kids in NYC This Weekend," 15 Mar. 2018 During his heyday, Halford's banshee-scream abilities set him apart from other vocalists in aggressive, metallic rock. — Bob Kostanczuk, Post-Tribune, "Judas Priest still brandishes 'Firepower' in heavy metal," 29 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'banshee.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of banshee

1771, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for banshee

Irish bean sídhe & Scottish Gaelic bean sìth, literally, woman of fairyland

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More Definitions for banshee

banshee

noun
How to pronounce banshee (audio) How to pronounce banshee (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of banshee

: a female spirit in Irish and Scottish stories who cries loudly to warn people that someone is going to die soon

See the full definition for banshee in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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