Word of the Day

: October 19, 2009

diabolical

adjective dye-uh-BAH-lih-kul

What It Means

: of, relating to, or characteristic of the devil : devilish

diabolical in Context

The movie’s antagonist is a fairly standard supervillain, complete with the requisite incompetent minions and a diabolical scheme to destroy the world.

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."