diabolic

or di·a·bol·i·cal

[dahy-uh-bol-ik or dahy-uh-bol-i-kuh l]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR diabolic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

having the qualities of a devil; devilish; fiendish; outrageously wicked: a diabolic plot.

pertaining to or actuated by a devil.

Origin of diabolic

1350–1400; Middle English diabolik (< Middle French) < Late Latin diabolicus < Greek diabolikós, equivalent to diábol(os) devil + -ikos -ic

Related formsdi·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverbdi·a·bol·i·cal·ness, nounhy·per·di·a·bol·i·cal, adjectivehy·per·di·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverbhy·per·di·a·bol·i·cal·ness, nounnon·di·a·bol·ic, adjectivenon·di·a·bol·i·cal, adjectivenon·di·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverbnon·di·a·bol·i·cal·ness, nounsu·per·di·a·bol·i·cal, adjectivesu·per·di·a·bol·i·cal·ly, adverbsu·per·di·a·bol·i·cal·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for diabolic

atrocious, cruel, damnable, demonic, devilish, hellish, impious, infernal, monstrous, nasty, nefarious, satanic, serpentine, shocking, unhallowed, unpleasant, vicious, vile, villainous, wicked

Examples from the Web for diabolic

Historical Examples of diabolic

What diabolic jugglery was at work when the exchange was made?
Masterpieces of Mystery
Various
Everybody watched with wonder this play, as of some large and diabolic toy.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer
The table seemed to wake to diabolic energy under her palms.
The Shadow World
Hamlin Garland
Understand, I do not say that it was not spiritual or diabolic.
The Innocence of Father Brown
G. K. Chesterton
He had charmed her from her home by the exercise of diabolic arts.
A Black Adonis
Linn Boyd Porter

British Dictionary definitions for diabolic

diabolic

adjective

of, relating to, or proceeding from the devil; satanic

befitting a devil; extremely cruel or wicked; fiendish

very difficult or unpleasant

Derived Formsdiabolically, adverbdiabolicalness, noun

Word Origin for diabolic

C14: from Late Latin diabolicus, from Greek diabolikos, from diabolos devil

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for diabolic

adj.

late 14c., from Old French diabolique (13c.), from Late Latin diabolicus, from Ecclesiastical Greek diabolikos "devilish," from diabolos (see devil (n.)).