Halloween Word Search

Did you know?

pumpkin

The first jack-o'-lanterns were carved from turnips and beets in Ireland; Irish immigrants switched to bigger, softer American pumpkins.

ghost

The word ghost comes from the Old English gast, meaning breath or spirit, the same root behind aghast.

witch

The pointed witch hat may trace to medieval Europe, echoing the tall conical hats worn by some outsiders and accused women.

skeleton

An adult human skeleton has 206 bones, but a newborn has about 300; many fuse together as a child grows.

vampire

The modern vampire owes its cape and castle to Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula, written long before any film existed.

costume

The custom of disguising yourself on Halloween began with Samhain, when people wore costumes to hide from wandering spirits.

cauldron

A real cauldron is just a big iron cooking pot; the bubbling green brew is pure theater added by stage and screen.

monster

The word monster comes from the Latin monstrum, an omen or warning, something thought to reveal a sign from the gods.

werewolf

The full-moon werewolf transformation became famous through the 1941 film The Wolf Man, which invented much of its modern lore.

lantern

The name jack-o'-lantern once meant a night watchman carrying a lamp, long before it described a carved, glowing pumpkin.

graveyard

Strictly, a graveyard is a burial ground beside a church, while a cemetery is a larger site standing on its own.

tombstone

A tombstone traditionally lay flat over a tomb, while a headstone stood upright at the head of a grave.

haunted

Many reports of haunted rooms have been traced to drafts, mold, or a faint low hum below the range of hearing.

goblin

Goblins appear across European folklore as small, mischievous house spirits, sometimes helpful, more often blamed for missing keys and curdled milk.

zombie

The zombie idea came from Haitian folklore, where a bokor was said to revive and control a body without its will.

In their words