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devil

DEV-uhl · noun

Ancient GreekLatinProto-West GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Origin

English devil comes from Old English dēofol, from Proto-West Germanic *diubul, from Latin diabolus, which was borrowed from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos), meaning 'false accuser, slanderer.'

Journey

διάβολος came from διαβάλλω (diabállō), literally 'to throw across' (from διά, 'through, across,' plus βάλλω, 'throw'), used for someone hurling slander. In Jewish and Christian usage the Greek word came to translate the Hebrew śātān, and by the time it reached Old English as dēofol, it named Satan himself rather than just a slanderer.

Related words

Devil is a doublet of diable, diablo, and diabolus — all descending from the same Latin/Greek root, just borrowed into different languages at different times.

More words

From Proto-West Germanic

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