diabolical

adjective

di·​a·​bol·​i·​cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbä-li-kəl How to pronounce diabolical (audio)
variants or diabolic
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish
a diabolical plot
diabolically adverb
diabolicalness noun

Did you know?

Like the word devil, "diabolical" traces back to Latin diabolus, which itself descends from Greek diabolos, a word that literally means "slanderer." In English, "diabolical" has many nuances of meaning. It can describe the devil himself (as in "my diabolical visitor") or anything related to or characteristic of him in appearance, behavior, or thought; examples include "diabolical lore," "a diabolical grin," and "a diabolical plot." In British slang, "diabolical" can also mean "disgraceful" or "bad," as in "the food was diabolical."

Examples of diabolical in a Sentence

the police quickly mobilized to track down the diabolical criminals before they struck again
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The film’s real secret weapon, and where so many superhero films go wrong, is with its formidable and multidimensional villain, Dr. Octopus, played with diabolical deliciousness by Alfred Molina. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024 The camera floats around the room like an invisible spider, circling and circling, weaving this trio into a diabolical web. Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 7 Nov. 2024 Other even stranger and more diabolical evils are also at play, as our heroes try to unravel the secrets of the town and find some way to escape. Erik Kain, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 There’s the final final confrontation between Alice and the diabolical Dr. Isaacs. Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 12 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for diabolical 

Word History

Etymology

diabolical from diabolic + -ical; diabolic going back to Middle English deabolik, borrowed from Middle French & Late Latin; Middle French dyabolique, borrowed from Late Latin diabolicus, borrowed from Late Greek diabolikós, going back to Greek, "slanderous," from diábolos "accuser, backbiter, slanderer" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at devil entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of diabolical was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near diabolical

Cite this Entry

“Diabolical.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diabolical. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

diabolical

adjective
di·​a·​bol·​i·​cal ˌdī-ə-ˈbäl-i-kəl How to pronounce diabolical (audio)
variants or diabolic
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : fiendish
diabolically adverb
diabolicalness noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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