Ankou is a Breton word that refers to a symbol or mythological character of death and the afterlife. This word has various synonyms in different languages. In English, some synonyms for Ankou are Grim Reaper, Angel of Death, and Death. In French, translations for Ankou include faucheuse and crâneuse. German has a similar word Todesengel or "Angel of Death," and in Spanish, the term Ángel de la Muerte is used to express the same concept. In Irish mythology, the banshee is also referred to as a harbinger of death. Although the meaning behind these words may vary slightly across cultures, they all carry a common theme of representing the end of life.