Tuesday word: Banshee
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1word1dayTuesday, Sept. 23, 2025
Banshee (noun)
banshee Or ban·shie [ban-shee, ban-shee]
noun
1. (in Irish folklore) a spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to or is heard by members of a family as a sign that one of them is about to die.
Related Words
demon, devil, phantom, shadow, soul, specter, vampire, vision
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: First recorded in 1765–75; from Irish bean sídhe “woman of a fairy mound”; bean “woman” (from Old Irish ben; queen ) + sídhe “of a fairy mound” (from Old Irish síde, genitive of síd “fairy mound”; sídh )
Example Sentences
It was the fewest points the Lakers had scored in a playoff win since 1991 — a real celebration of the banshee stuff the coaches had been preaching for months.
From Los Angeles Times
When he heard the news he says he “wailed like a banshee for 20 minutes”.
From BBC
At the same time, he continues to throw himself a great pity party, wraps himself in his solipsistic view of victimhood, wailing like a banshee and gnashing his teeth in anger.
From Salon
At times sweet naif, at times screaming banshee, she seems not quite human, like the strange half-duck/half-dog creature that follows her around the scientist’s house.
From Seattle Times
On “Devil’s Advocate” from the recently released album “sneek,” Gallant’s lilting croon ushers in Martin’s smooth sax while a sound like a banshee’s lullaby flurries in the upper register — in a good way.
From Los Angeles Times
Banshee (noun)
banshee Or ban·shie [ban-shee, ban-shee]
noun
1. (in Irish folklore) a spirit in the form of a wailing woman who appears to or is heard by members of a family as a sign that one of them is about to die.
Related Words
demon, devil, phantom, shadow, soul, specter, vampire, vision
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
Origin: First recorded in 1765–75; from Irish bean sídhe “woman of a fairy mound”; bean “woman” (from Old Irish ben; queen ) + sídhe “of a fairy mound” (from Old Irish síde, genitive of síd “fairy mound”; sídh )
Example Sentences
It was the fewest points the Lakers had scored in a playoff win since 1991 — a real celebration of the banshee stuff the coaches had been preaching for months.
From Los Angeles Times
When he heard the news he says he “wailed like a banshee for 20 minutes”.
From BBC
At the same time, he continues to throw himself a great pity party, wraps himself in his solipsistic view of victimhood, wailing like a banshee and gnashing his teeth in anger.
From Salon
At times sweet naif, at times screaming banshee, she seems not quite human, like the strange half-duck/half-dog creature that follows her around the scientist’s house.
From Seattle Times
On “Devil’s Advocate” from the recently released album “sneek,” Gallant’s lilting croon ushers in Martin’s smooth sax while a sound like a banshee’s lullaby flurries in the upper register — in a good way.
From Los Angeles Times
