Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

speak of the devil

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.23 in modern English

Syllables: speak of the dev-il
IPA

31

Scrabble Score

15

Letters

2

Syllables

13

Unique Chars

Meaning

phrase

An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.

Humorous

Example Sentences

"A: You know who would appreciate this? Tom. B: Speak of the devil! Look who just walked in!"

Etymology

Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear, which can be traced back to “talk of the Devil, and he’s presently at your elbow”, attested in 1666. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world; see taboo avoidance.

Usage

Humorous

Inflected Forms

talk of the devil (alternative)

Phrases

are your ears burning ears are burning on cue

Frequently Paired Words

are your ears burning ears are burning on cue

Synonyms

speaking of

Questions

What does speak of the devil mean?: An expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.
Where does speak of the devil come from?: Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear, which can be traced back to “talk of the Devil, and he’s presently at your elbow”, attested in 1666. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world; see taboo avoidance.

How to pronounce speak of the devil

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