وحش
waḥš
The Arabic word for "beast" is وحش (waḥš).
While وحش can refer to a non-human animal, in modern usage it most frequently refers to a mythical monster or a terrifying creature. You can describe such a creature using the adjective مفترس for "predatory" or خطير for "dangerous".
Meaning: non-human animal (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of وحش is وحوش.
How do you pronounce it?
waḥš
Did you know?
- In several Arabic dialects, calling someone a وحش is a high compliment meaning they are incredibly skilled or in 'beast mode'.
- The word وحش can be used to describe a desolate or lonely place, not just a living creature.
- In classical Arabic literature, وحش specifically referred to animals that were 'wild' because they had no contact with human civilization.
Examples in context
- وحش جوايا ماينضبطش.The beast within me cannot be tamed.
- رأيت وحشاً في الغابة.ra'aytu wahshan fi al-ghabah.I saw a beast in the forest.
- هل هذا وحش حقيقي؟hal hadha wahsh haqeeqi?Is this a real beast?
Example conversation
Layla and Ahmad are watching a nature documentary together.
- ليلى Laylaانظر إلى هذا الوحش الكبير!unzur ila hadha al-wahsh al-kabeer!Look at this large beast!
- أحمد Ahmedإنه وحش قوي جداً يا ليلى.innahu wahsh qawi jiddan ya Layla.It is a very strong beast, Layla.
- ليلى Laylaأنا خائفة منه.ana kha'ifa minhu.I am afraid of it.
- أحمد Ahmedلا تقلقي، إنه في التلفاز فقط.la taqlaqi, innahu fi al-tilfaz faqat.Don't worry, it is only on the television.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry وحش, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
