succubus

[ suhk-yuh-buhs ]
See synonyms for succubus on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural suc·cu·bi [suhk-yuh-bahy]. /ˈsʌk yəˌbaɪ/.
  1. a demon in female form, said to have sexual intercourse with men in their sleep.: Compare incubus (def. 1).

  2. any demon or evil spirit.

  1. Archaic. a strumpet; prostitute.

Origin of succubus

1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin, variant of Latin succuba succuba; cf. incubus

Words that may be confused with succubus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use succubus in a sentence

  • Then he passes to the middle ages, and dwells upon the popular belief in incubi and succubi.

    A Problem in Modern Ethics | John Addington Symonds
  • Imps, male and female, called incubi and succubi respectively, were supposed to be the active agents in producing the affection.

    Sleep and Its Derangements | William A. Hammond
  • I page through the book, and my eye is caught by the part about Incubi and Succubi.

    Legends | August Strindberg
  • In those intellectual days people believed in what were called the Incubi and the Succubi.

  • During the witchcraft period familiarity of this nature with Incubi or Succubi was punished with death.

    Woman, Church & State | Matilda Joslyn Gage

British Dictionary definitions for succubus

succubus

/ (ˈsʌkjʊbəs) /


nounplural -bi (-ˌbaɪ)
  1. Also called: succuba a female demon fabled to have sexual intercourse with sleeping men: Compare incubus

  2. any evil demon

Origin of succubus

1
C16: from Medieval Latin, from Late Latin succuba harlot, from Latin succubāre to lie beneath, from sub- + cubāre to lie

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