English Meaning & Definitions
In various religions, the supreme spirit of evil; a wicked or cruel person.
- “In many folk tales, the protagonist must outsmart the devil to save their soul.”
- “He acted like a total devil when he cheated his own brother out of the inheritance.”
To prepare food, especially eggs, with hot spices or condiments.
- “She decided to devil the eggs for the picnic by adding extra paprika and mustard.”
- “The recipe suggests you devil the kidneys to give them a sharp, spicy flavor.”
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “devil”.
Derived from the Old English 'deofol', which traces back to the Late Latin 'diabolus', ultimately from the Greek 'diabolos' meaning 'slanderer' or 'accuser'. It is a cognate with the word 'diabolic'.
Think of a 'devil' as someone who is 'de-villainous' (a villain) in stories.
Frequently Asked Questions About “devil”
1. What is the meaning of “devil” in English?
In English, devil (noun) is defined as: “In various religions, the supreme spirit of evil; a wicked or cruel person.”.
2. How do you use “devil” in a sentence?
“In many folk tales, the protagonist must outsmart the devil to save their soul.”
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “devil”?
Derived from the Old English 'deofol', which traces back to the Late Latin 'diabolus', ultimately from the Greek 'diabolos' meaning 'slanderer' or 'accuser'. It is a cognate with the word 'diabolic'.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.