sibylline
AmericanEtymology
Origin of sibylline
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin Sibyllīnus “pertaining to a sibyl”; see origin at sibyl, -ine 1
Explanation
The adjective sibylline means "having a secret meaning" or "foretelling the future," like a fortune teller whose crystal ball reveals a sibylline message about what will happen. If you can predict the meaning of the word sibylline, you may come from a family of psychics — or you may have a background in Greek mythology. The word has origins in the Greek word Sibulla, meaning "prophetess." Back in the times of the Greeks and Romans, a sibyl was a female oracle who delivered cryptic prophecies foretelling the future, often inspired by the deities. The adjective sibylline describes such talents or the messages they reveal.
Vocabulary lists containing sibylline
100 SAT words Beginning with "S"
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Reading: Literature - Mythology - High School
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The Hidden Oracle
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is as old as the sibylline books.
From The Guardian • Dec. 1, 2016
Also because I was influenced by a late-blooming acquaintance with Wagner operas, discovering that their aesthetic, which I had assumed to be bombastic, really relies on sibylline continuities.
From The New Yorker • Jul. 3, 2016
Mr. Jeremiah also brought impressive power and intensity to Moto Osada’s sibylline “Four Nights of Dream,” the only opera with a male protagonist.
From New York Times • Nov. 11, 2012
Some political soothsayers took this sibylline pronouncement as a hint that Truman did not intend to run again.
From Time Magazine Archive
The door opened, and Fr�ulein's head appeared, solemn and sibylline, with tears shining behind her spectacles.
From The Devourers by Chartres, Annie Vivanti
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
