ogre

Other forms: ogres

An ogre is a big, ugly monster. In many myths and fairytales, ogres are giant, unintelligent, human-like creatures that eat people. However, the ogre Shrek comes off as a right jolly fellow.

The grotesque, awkwardly large ogre has been a figure in mythology for many years, a close relation to evil giants and other frightening creatures. In many stories, ogres eat babies, and they're usually quite ugly, with strangely colored skin, large heads, and strong bodies. The word ogre is also sometimes used to describe despicable, evil people. Ogre comes from the French, coined by the French fairy tale writer, Charles Perrault.