Mephistopheles

American  

[mef-uh-stof-uh-leez] / ˌmɛf əˈstɒf əˌliz /

Also Mephisto

noun

1. Medieval Demonology. one of the seven chief devils and the tempter of Faust.

---

Mephistopheles British  

/ ˌmɛfɪˈstɒfɪˌliːz, ˌmɛfɪstəˈfiːlɪən, məˈfɪstəʊ /

noun

1. a devil in medieval mythology and the one to whom Faust sold his soul in the Faust legend

---

Mephistopheles Cultural  

1. In the drama Faust by Goethe, a devil who tempts Faust into selling his soul to the powers of darkness. Mephistopheles also appears, with his name spelled Mephistophilis, in the sixteenth-century English play Doctor Faustus, by Christopher Marlowe.

---

Other Word Forms

• Mephistophelean adjective
• Mephistophelian adjective

Example Sentences

Railroad magnate and speculator Jay Gould was dubbed “the Mephistopheles of Wall Street” by ministers on the pulpit.

From The Wall Street Journal

But the old stories of the magicians and their bargains, of Faust and his Mephistopheles, suggest that we would be wise to fear apparent obedience as well.

From Seattle Times

Parker was Presley’s manager for most of his career, and Hanks portrays him as part small-time grifter, part full-blown Mephistopheles.

From New York Times

Every Czech family’s photo album has the requisite picture of a wide-eyed, screaming child who absolutely lost it when Mom and Dad rolled out the welcome mat for Mephistopheles.

From Washington Post

Fledgling designers ca n not afford to hire big venues for tiny audiences or risk a last-minute cancellation, said Stephane Vienne, from production and press firm Mephistopheles.

From Reuters

Related Words

• barbarian
• ogre