Wight
| Grouping | Legendary creature |
|---|---|
| Sub grouping | Undead |
| Similar creatures | Ghost |
| Country | England |
Wight is an English word, from Old English wiht, and used to describe a creature or living sentient being. It is akin to Old High German wiht, meaning a creature or thing. In its original usage the word wight described a living human being. More recently, the word has been used within the fantasy genre of literature to describe undead or wraith-like creatures: corpses with a part of their decayed soul still in residence, often draining life from their victims. The earliest example of this usage in English is in William Morris's translation of the Grettis Saga, where draug is translated as "barrow wight". Notable later examples include the undead Barrow-wights from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien, the reanimated creatures killed by the Others from the works of George R. R. Martin also known as White Walkers in the HBO adaption of A Song of Ice and Fire, and the level-draining wights of Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game franchise.
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