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• Lucifer
  Lucifer

  noun

  a proud, rebellious archangel, identified with Satan, who fell from heaven.
• lucifer
  lucifer

  noun

  a friction match: originally a trade name for a match manufactured in England in the 19th century

Lucifer

American  

[loo-suh-fer] / ˈlu sə fər /

noun

1. a proud, rebellious archangel, identified with Satan, who fell from heaven.

2. the planet Venus when appearing as the morning star.

3. (lowercase) friction match.

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Lucifer ¹ British  

/ ˈluːsɪfə /

noun

1. the leader of the rebellion of the angels: usually identified with Satan

2. the planet Venus when it rises as the morning star

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lucifer ² British  

/ ˈluːsɪfə /

noun

1. a friction match: originally a trade name for a match manufactured in England in the 19th century

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Lucifer ¹ Cultural  

1. Another name for Satan.

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Lucifer ² Cultural  

1. A name, traditional in Christianity, for the leader of the devils, an angel who was cast from heaven into hell because he rebelled against God. Lucifer is usually identified with Satan. The name Lucifer, which means “bearer of light” or “morning star,” refers to his former splendor as the greatest of the angels.

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Etymology

Origin of Lucifer

before 1000; Middle English, Old English < Latin: morning star, literally, light-bringing, equivalent to lūci- (stem of lūx ) light + -fer -fer

Compare meaning

How does lucifer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• Lucifer vs. Satan

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Lucifer lucifer

No wonder Dante, the Florence-born author of the “Divine Comedy,” consigned counterfeiters to the eighth circle of hell, “just one rung higher than Lucifer in the ninth.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 12, 2025

The study's lead scientist said she was inspired to use the name Lucifer as she was watching the Netflix show of the same name at the time.

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2025

Watching Gwendoline Christie play Lucifer Morningstar and Vivienne Acheampong embody The Dreaming’s librarian, Lucienne, ended much of the relatively limited fuss over those choices.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2025

Lucifer seemed likely to trounce broody hero Dream initially — until he asked, “What kills hope?”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2023

And if ever Scythe Lucifer comes my way, I hope he’ll see me as one of the good ones.The way he once did.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

When that wind blew, the simplest of devices—from lucifer matches to lantern-slides—would no longer function.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

Phosphorus, which is of value from its low igniting point, receives its only application in the manufacture of lucifer matches.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 11, Slice 3 "Frost" to "Fyzabad" by Various

As a lucifer match in the hands of a madman, when struck, may be the occasion of blowing up castles or burning down cities, so the tongue may “set on fire the course of nature.”

From Talkers With Illustrations by John Bate

Another lucifer, and now I pretended to be in most eager pursuit; but somehow my eyes would look up and rest upon her sweet countenance.

From A Day's Ride A Life's Romance by Charles James Lever

The former may be obtained by burning a little sulphur or a sulphured lucifer match under the perforations of a killing box of the pattern described, and the latter—well, every smoker knows that.

From Butterflies and Moths (British) by William S. Furneaux

Related Words

• Satan