wolf
A large wild canine that hunts in packs.
Etymology
From Old English wulf, from Proto-Germanic *wulfaz, from PIE *wĺ̥kʷos "wolf." The word is remarkably consistent across Indo-European languages, reflecting the wolf's role as the most significant predator in the PIE world. Some scholars connect it to a root meaning "tearer, ripper."
The Journey: *wĺ̥kʷos → wolf
*wĺ̥kʷos
*wulfaz
wulf
wolf
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root *wĺ̥kʷos. They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | lúkos |
| Latin | lupus |
| Persian | gorg |
| Russian | volk |
| Albanian | ujk |
| Sanskrit | vṛ́kaḥ |
| Lithuanian | vilkas |
Did You Know?
The name "Adolf" means "noble wolf" in Germanic. Wolves appear in the names, myths, and origin stories of nearly every Indo-European people.
This word descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *wĺ̥kʷos. See the full root page for descendant trees, sound law references, and scholarly discussion.