# howl

> English word · Noun · IPA /haʊl/ · frequency rank #22,999

## Definitions
1. The protracted, mournful cry of a dog, wolf or other canid; also of other animals.
2. Any similar sound.
3. A prolonged cry of distress or anguish; a wail.

## Etymology
From Middle English howlen, houlen, from Old English *hūlian, from Proto-West Germanic *hūilōn, from Proto-Germanic *hūwilōną, *hiuwilōną (“to howl”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *kū-, *kew- (“to howl, scream”). Likely of imitative origin.
Cognate with Saterland Frisian huulje (“to howl”), Dutch huilen (“to cry”), Romanian a hăuli (“to howl”), Old French ouler, German Low German hulen (“to howl”), German heulen (“to howl”), Danish hyle (“to howl”), Swedish yla (“to scream, yell”), Northern Luri آلٛیر (āłir, “howl”).

## Easily confused with
- **hwy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hwy)
- **hoy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hoy)
- **Huw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-huw)
- **HRW** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hrw)
- **hull** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hull)
- **hurl** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hurl)
- **hows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hows)
- **Hoya** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hoya)
- **howls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-howls)
- **Hoyle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/howl-vs-hoyle)
- **ho** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ho-vs-howl)
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/how-vs-howl)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hot-vs-howl)
- **hop** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hop-vs-howl)
- **hon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hon-vs-howl)
- **hal** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hal-vs-howl)
- **hog** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hog-vs-howl)
- **hoo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoo-vs-howl)
- **hoe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hoe-vs-howl)
- **hof** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hof-vs-howl)

## Common misspellings (6)
`hhowl`, `holw`, `howll`, `howwl`, `hwol`, `ohwl`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/howl