Definition of yowl

The origin of the word "yowl" can be traced back to Old English, where it was spelled as "gehul" or "gyhul". This word was used to describe the loud, long cry of certain animals, particularly females during the mating season or when calling for their young. Over time, the spelling and pronunciation of the word evolved, first in Middle English, where it became "gel" or "gehl", and then in Early Modern English, where it became "yel" or "yoole". The origin of the word is unclear, but it is believed to come from a Germanic root word, "gel," which meant "loud, shrill cry". Some linguists suggest that the word may have evolved from a Scandinavian word, as "yule", a term associated with the winter solstice, shares a similar root. In modern English, "yowl" is primarily used in reference to the loud, booming call of certain animals, such as bullfrogs, hoot owls, and the female lions in a pride during mating season. It is also sometimes used idiomatically to describe loud, resonant sounds or voices, such as in the expression "yowl in triumph".