Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

diabolic

/ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: 2.16 in modern English

Syllables: di-a-bol-ic
IPA: /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/

13

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

4

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Of, being, or pertaining to a devil or the Devil.

adj

Having qualities traditionally attributed to devils.

adj

Having qualities traditionally attributed to devils.

Example Sentences

"diabolic magic square"
""The Sovereign Council of Wisdom," or the Order of Palladium, founded in Paris, was a diabolic order claiming masonic origin."
"a cunning and diabolic plot"
"fires lit up a diabolic scene"

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dwóh₁ ▲ Proto-Indo-European *trísinflu. Proto-Indo-European *dwísder. Ancient Greek διά (diá) Ancient Greek δια- (dia-) Proto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der. Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō Ancient Greek βάλλω (bállō) Ancient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō) Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ικός (-ikós) Koine Greek διαβολικός (diabolikós)bor. Late Latin diabolicusbor. Middle French diaboliquebor. Middle English diabolik English diabolic From Middle English diabolik, from Middle French diabolique, from Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek διαβολικός (diabolikós, “devilish”), from διάβολος (diábolos, “devil”). First attested in 1350–1400.

Origin

Source language: Middle English
First known use: First attested in 1350–1400

Word Breakdown

Root: diabolik, diabolique, diabolicus, διαβολικός

Inflected Forms

more diabolic (comparative) most diabolic (superlative) diabolick (alternative, obsolete)

Derived Forms

diabolical nondiabolic

Synonyms

devilish mephistophelean demonic fiendish satanic unholy cacodaemoniacal daemonical demoniac demoniacal demonical demonish

Questions

How do you pronounce diabolic?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/.
What does diabolic mean?: Of, being, or pertaining to a devil or the Devil.
Where does diabolic come from?: It is traced to Middle English. First known use: First attested in 1350–1400.

How to pronounce diabolic

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “diabolic”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “diabolic”.
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