Mephistophelian

adjective

Mephis·​to·​phe·​lian ¦mefə̇stə¦fēlyən How to pronounce Mephistophelian (audio)
¦meˌfis-
mə̇¦fis-
me¦fis-
-ēlēən
variants or Mephistophelean
How to pronounce Mephistophelian (audio)
¦mefə̇ˌstäfə¦lēən
: having a devilish character or aspect : saturnine
looked … slightly Mephistophelian, yet with human and lonely brown eyesTimes Literary Supplement

Word History

Etymology

Mephistopheles, the devil in various versions of the Faust legend, especially that of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe †1832 German poet + English -ian or -an

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Cite this Entry

“Mephistophelian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Mephistophelian. Accessed 16 Dec. 2025.

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