Wildmen

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A mythical or folkloric figure often depicted as a humanoid living in the wilderness
2. a representation of untamed nature often associated with primitive tribal societies
3. an individual embodying characteristics of ferocity and a connection to the untamed natural world

Etymology: "Wildmen" is the plural of "wildman," a compound formed from "wild" and "man." The simple pairing is the whole story here: the first element comes from Old English "wilde," meaning untamed or living in its natural state, and the second is the ordinary word for a human being. Put together, the compound described a man who lived outside settled society, and the plural simply names a group of such figures.