The ‘were’ in werewolf means ‘man.’ Hence the werewolf is a ‘man-wolf’, a being capable of changing from human form into a wolf at night or just under a full moon depending on which story you believe.

The word may also come from ‘vargulf.’ This is a Norse word that means the type of wolf who kills a whole flock but only eats a bit.

The werewolf, once transformed, devours people, animals or corpses before returning to human form in the light of day. Some werewolves are believed to be able to change shape at will. Others, who have been bitten by a werewolf themselves, are thought to change involuntarily under the influence of a full moon.

Humans who believe that they are wolves suffer from a rare disorder called lycanthropy. Werewolves are thought to be extremely powerful, and yet vulnerable to the shot of a silver bullet, or by the complete destruction of their heart or brain. According to some stories, the werewolf will become a vampire upon its death.