Eldritch
adjective /ˈɛldrɪtʃ/ — Weird, sinister, and otherworldly — strange in a way that feels fundamentally wrong.
Definition
Uncanny, sinister, and inexplicably strange — the quality of something that belongs to another world and has appeared in this one without invitation or explanation.
Beyond the definition
Eldritch is doing particular cultural work right now — it's the word for the specific unease of things that shouldn't exist, the wrong-shaped thing in the periphery, the sound that shouldn't be there. H.P. Lovecraft used it constantly; now it has escaped back into the wider vocabulary.
Origin & history
Scots English, possibly from Old English 'elfe' (elf) + 'rīce' (realm/kingdom) — literally 'the elf realm.' What is eldritch belongs to a supernatural world that has briefly made contact with ours.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
There was an eldritch quality to the empty house — nothing specifically wrong, but deeply unsettling.
The sound was eldritch — not quite wind, not quite voice.
She described the dream as eldritch: wrong colours, wrong geometry, impossible architecture.
How to use it
This entry uses an adjective. Follow the examples for the nouns it describes and its position in the sentence.
Choose “Eldritch” when the meaning fits your context: Uncanny, sinister, and inexplicably strange — the quality of something that belongs to another world and has appeared in this one without invitation or explanation.
Synonyms
uncanny, weird, sinister, otherworldly, unearthly
Antonyms
normal, ordinary, familiar
Related words
Questions about this word
What does "Eldritch" mean?
Eldritch is adjective meaning: Weird, sinister, and otherworldly — strange in a way that feels fundamentally wrong.. Uncanny, sinister, and inexplicably strange — the quality of something that belongs to another world and has appeared in this one without invitation or explanation.
Where does the word "Eldritch" come from?
Scots English, possibly from Old English 'elfe' (elf) + 'rīce' (realm/kingdom) — literally 'the elf realm.' What is eldritch belongs to a supernatural world that has briefly made contact with ours.