banshee

or ban·shie

[ ban-shee, ban-shee ]
/ ˈbæn ʃi, bænˈʃi /

noun

(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.

Origin of banshee

1765–75; < Irish bean sīdhe woman of a fairy mound; see sídh

Example sentences from the Web for banshee

British Dictionary definitions for banshee

banshee
/ (ˈbænʃiː, bænˈʃiː) /

noun

(in Irish folklore) a female spirit whose wailing warns of impending death

Word Origin for banshee

C18: from Irish Gaelic bean sídhe, literally: woman of the fairy mound