Phrase guide

Big Bad Wolf

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌbɪɡ ˌbæd ˈwʊlf/

1

noun

Meaning 1

An evil fictional wolf that appears in fairy tales or fables.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Someone blamed for causing problems; a scapegoat.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bogeyman

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Amharic: ትልቅ መጥፎ ተኩላ (təlḳ mäṭfo täkula) — fictional evil wolf
  • Arabic: ذِئْب كَبِير سَيِّئ (ḏiʔb kabīr sayyiʔ) — fictional evil wolf
  • Chinese Mandarin: 大灰狼 (dàhuīláng) — fictional evil wolf
  • Dutch: Grote Boze Wolf — fictional evil wolf
  • Esperanto: granda malbona lupo — fictional evil wolf
  • Finnish: Iso Paha Susi — fictional evil wolf
  • French: grand méchant loup — fictional evil wolf
  • German: der Böse Wolf — fictional evil wolf
  • Greek: Κακός Λύκος (Kakós Lýkos) — fictional evil wolf
  • Hebrew: זאב גדול ורע (z'év gadól vará) — fictional evil wolf
  • Italian: lupo cattivo — fictional evil wolf
  • Japanese: 大きな悪いオオカミ (Ōkina warui ōkami) — fictional evil wolf
  • Korean: 큰 나쁜 늑대 (keun nappeun neukdae) — fictional evil wolf
  • Persian: گرگ بد گنده (gorg-e bad-e gonde) — fictional evil wolf
  • Polish: wilk — fictional evil wolf
  • Portuguese: Lobo Mau — fictional evil wolf
  • Spanish: Lobo Feroz — fictional evil wolf
  • Swedish: Stora stygga vargen — fictional evil wolf
  • Welsh: Blaidd Mawr Drwg — fictional evil wolf