Etymology Map
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Wolf

3 stages from Proto-Germanic to English.

Today it means a wild carnivorous animal of the dog family

Where does the word "wolf" come from? It comes from Proto-Germanic wulfaz, passing through Old English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
wulfaz
Proto-Germanic · ancient
"wolf"
related to Latin 'lupus' and Greek 'lykos', perhaps altered by a hunters' taboo
2
Stage 2 of 3
wulf
Old English · 700s-1000s
"wolf"
common in names like Æthelwulf and Wulfstan
3
Stage 3 of 3
wolf
English · 1500s
"wolf"
wolves were hunted to extinction in England by around 1500
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Wolf’s story begins in Proto-Germanic: wulfaz meant “wolf.” Related to Latin 'lupus' and Greek 'lykos', perhaps altered by a hunters' taboo. By 700s-1000s, the word had taken hold in Old English as wulf. Common in names like Æthelwulf and Wulfstan. It reached English by 1500s as wolf. Wolves were hunted to extinction in England by around 1500. Today, wolf means a wild carnivorous animal of the dog family.