Showing Results for "diabolic"

See Also:

• a variation of diabolical.

diabolic

American  

[dahy-uh-bol-ik] / ˌdaɪ əˈbɒl ɪk /

adjective

1. variant of diabolical.

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diabolic British  

/ ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk /

adjective

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

2. befitting a devil; extremely cruel or wicked; fiendish

3. very difficult or unpleasant

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• diabolicalness
  noun
• nondiabolic
  adjective
• diabolically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of diabolic

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English diabolik, from Middle French or directly from Late Latin diabolicus, from Greek diabolikós, equivalent to diábo(os) devil + -ikos -ic

Explanation

Use the adjective diabolic to describe someone who acts in a terribly cruel way. A diabolic boy might pick up a cat by its tail and swing it around. When people are diabolic, they're evil. The horrible dictator who has thousands of civilians killed commits a diabolic act, and people who abuse children are also diabolic. The bad guy in a fairy tale is always diabolic. You can use diabolic interchangeably with the slightly more common diabolical. Both words have a Greek root, diabolikos, which means "devilish" and comes from diabolus, or "devil."

Example Sentences

Diabolic ingenuity in invention though as old as the world is by no means a lost art. 

From Within the Tides by Conrad, Joseph

I have also hit off a few lines in the name of Burton, being a conceit of "Diabolic Possession."

From The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 5 The Letters of Charles and Mary Lamb, 1796-1820 by Lucas, E. V. (Edward Verrall)

Now, to whose house should these Diabolic doubters go, but to that of Old Evil-questioning.

From Works of John Bunyan — Volume 03 by Bunyan, John

The chief centre of this detestable system is St. Vincent, where—so I was told by one who knows that island well—some sort of secret College, or School of the Prophets Diabolic, exists. 

From At Last by Kingsley, Charles