wereanimal

English

Etymology

were- +‎ animal

Noun

wereanimal (plural wereanimals)

1. A shapeshifter that can change between human and some animal form, such as a werewolf or werebear.

   Synonym: werebeast

   • 1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 121:

     A peculiarity of were-animals is the sympathy that exists between their animal form and that of the human with whom it is connected.

   • 2011, Brit Mandelo, Though Smoke Shall Hide the Sun: A Tor.Com Original, Tor Books, →ISBN:

     Lysander was speaking to a confused-looking wereanimal.

   • 2001, J. D. Robb, Laurell K. Hamilton, Susan Krinard, Maggie Shayne, Out of this World, Penguin, →ISBN:

     His otherworldly energy danced along my skin, and as had happened in New Mexico with a very different wereanimal, it called that piece of Richard's beast that seemed to live inside me. It brought that power in a rush down my skin, ...

   • 2020, Laurell K. Hamilton, Sucker Punch, Penguin, →ISBN, page 77:

     “You're a fool, Todd. You didn't need anything to protect you,” Muriel said. “Ray was killed by a wereanimal.” “They have the wereanimal that killed Ray locked up. He can't hurt anyone anymore,” she said.