sibylline

adjective

sib·​yl·​line
variants or less commonly sybilline
ˈsibəˌlīn
-ˌlēn
-lə̇n
1
often capitalized
a
: of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of a sibyl : prophetic
the novelist … growing a little sibylline in her successLionel Trilling
b
: uttered or written in or as if in prophecy
a kind of Sibylline book in which ready and infallible answers will be found to problemsTimes Literary Supplement
2
a
: mysterious, cryptic, occult
thoroughly sibylline in most of his pronouncementsJohn Gunther
b
: ambiguous, equivocal
utterances remained sibyllineA. R. E. Pinchot

Word History

Etymology

Latin sibyllinus, from Sibylla sibyl + -inus -ine

The Ultimate Dictionary Awaits

Expand your vocabulary and dive deeper into language with Merriam-Webster Unabridged.

  1. Expanded definitions
  2. Detailed etymologies
  3. Advanced search tools
  4. All ad-free

Discover what makes Merriam-Webster Unabridged the essential choice for true word lovers.

Start Your Free Trial Now

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sibylline.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sibylline. Accessed 13 Dec. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!