Standard Lemma guide
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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
noun
An evil force which heedlessly destroys everything in its path, and appears like a horseman dressed all in black.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: fantasy
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
A type of demonic or undead creature.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Qualifier: roleplaying games
Topics: fantasy
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
From nazgûl (“ringwraith”) in J. R. R. Tolkien's fictional language Black Speech, a compound of nazg (“ring”) and gûl (“wraith; evil spirit”). Tolkien thought it “probable” that the former term nazg was “actually derived from” Irish nasc (“link, bond”), though not borrowed consciously. For the latter term gûl compare ghoul.
