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noun

ogre

OH-guh

Ogre (noun) means a large, ugly, monstrous creature in folklore, known for its brutish strength and appetite for humans. Example: “In the story, a hungry ogre guards the bridge into the village.”

noun
1
A large, ugly, monstrous creature in folklore, known for its brutish strength and appetite for humans.
"In the story, a hungry ogre guards the bridge into the village."
2
A cruel or frightening person.
"Her boss had a reputation as an ogre who never praised anyone."

How to use ogre

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA monstrous fairy-tale giant, or, informally, a cruel and scary person.

Easily confused with
Common pairings
a fearsome ogre act like an ogre

Word forms

ogres plural

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In the story, a hungry _____ guards the bridge into the village.

Etymology

Borrowed into English from French ogre, ultimately from Latin Orcus, the Roman god of the underworld and punisher of broken oaths.

Origin: Latin

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “ogre” mean?

The word “ogre” means a large, ugly, monstrous creature in folklore, known for its brutish strength and appetite for humans. In plain terms, a monstrous fairy-tale giant, or, informally, a cruel and scary person.

How do you pronounce “ogre”?

“Ogre” is pronounced OH-guh (/ˈoʊ.ɡɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “ogre” in a sentence?

Here is “ogre” used in a sentence: “In the story, a hungry ogre guards the bridge into the village.”

What part of speech is “ogre”?

“Ogre” is a noun.

Where does the word “ogre” come from?

The word “ogre” comes from Latin. Borrowed into English from French ogre, ultimately from Latin Orcus, the Roman god of the underworld and punisher of broken oaths.

How many meanings does “ogre” have?

“Ogre” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large, ugly, monstrous creature in folklore, known for its brutish strength and appetite for humans.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial