diabolic en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δια- (dia-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō) Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Koine Greek διαβολικός (diabolikós)bor. Late Latin diabolicusbor. Middle French diaboliquebor. Middle English diabolik English diabolic From Middle English diabolik, from Middle French diabolique, from Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek διαβολικός (diabolikós, “devilish”), from διάβολος (diábolos, “devil”). First attested in 1350–1400.
Meanings
-
Of, being, or pertaining to a devil or the Devil.
"The Sovereign Council of Wisdom," or the Order of Palladium, founded in Paris, was a diabolic order claiming masonic origin.
1936, Rollo Ahmed, The Black Art, London: Long, page 259:diabolic magic square
- (figuratively) Having qualities traditionally attributed to devils.
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(especially, figuratively) Having qualities traditionally attributed to devils. ▸ Wicked; evil; cruel.
fires lit up a diabolic scene
a cunning and diabolic plot
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most diabolic | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| diabolick | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic | |
| more diabolic | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
reprobate · scathful · sullen · compassionless · brutal · malicious · deleterious · injurious · nithing · diabolical · unpitiful · savage · base · devilish · iniquous · ungodly · malignant · spiteful · barbarous · sordid · harmful · inhuman · daemonical · evil-minded · nefarious · maleficent · wicked · baneful · naughty · despicable · reprehensible · unbenign · unholy · demonic · truculent · villainous · black-hearted · demoniac · dark · niding · diabolical · malicious · mephistophelean · sinful · inclement · demonic · pitiless · bad seed · demonic · vicious · merciless · niddering · devilish · fallen angelic · vile · unholy · rotten · facinorous · remorseless · cacodaemoniacal · satanic · bad apple · depraved · inhuman · malevolent · fell · diabolical · nasty · malign · malefic · no-good · demonish · nonhumane · fiendish · satanical · demonly · unbenevolent · iniquitous · immoral · incessive · diabolic · heinous · nidering · arrant · inhumane · bad · scurrilous · satanic · peccaminous · devilish · incorrigible · despiteful · unmerciful · ill-intentioned · evil · sadistic · pernicious · unpitying · cruel · demonical · demoniacal · abandoned · diabolic · wicked · sinister · flagitious · demonlike · baleful · maleficent · satanic · unkind · fiendlike · detrimental · wrong · bowelless · baleful · demonic · knavish · flagitious · ruthless · ill-natured
Translations (26)
eo diabla (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · fr diabolique (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · pt diabólico (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · ru дья́вольский (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · bg жесток (extremely evil or cruel) · bg дяволски (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · bg сатанински (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · bg зъл (extremely evil or cruel) · lv velnišķīgs (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · cs ďábelský (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · de diabolisch (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · uk дия́вольський (extremely evil or cruel) · uk дия́вольський (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · tr şeytani (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · tr şeytanca (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · fi pirullinen (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · fi paholaismainen (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · lv velnišķs (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · de teuflisch (extremely evil or cruel) · fi paholaismainen (extremely evil or cruel) · de diabolisch (extremely evil or cruel) · de teuflisch (showing wickedness typical of a devil) · pt diabólico (extremely evil or cruel) · fi pirullinen (extremely evil or cruel) · fr diabolique (extremely evil or cruel) · ru дья́вольский (extremely evil or cruel)