Unnumbered source etymology · variant 1/2
Original entry ↗name
The chief devil; Satan.
verb
Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventoryTo make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil. · To annoy or bother. · To work as a ‘devil’; to work for a lawyer or writer without fee or recognition. · To ghostwrite; to author while working as a ‘devil’.
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)bor. Latin diabolusbor. Proto-West Germanic *diubul Old English dēofol Middle English devel English devil From Middle English devil, devel, deovel, from Old English dēofol, from Proto-West Germanic *diubul, from Latin diabolus, ultimately from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos, “false accuser, slanderer”), also as "Satan" (in Jewish/Christian usage, translating Biblical Hebrew שָׂטָן (śātān)), from διαβάλλω (diabállō, “to slander”), literally “to throw across”, from διά (diá, “through, across”) + βάλλω (bállō, “throw”). The Old English word was probably adopted under influence of Latin diabolus (itself from the Greek). Other Germanic languages adopted the word independently: compare Saterland Frisian Düüwel (“devil”), West Frisian duvel (“devil”), Dutch duivel, duvel (“devil”), German Low German Düvel (“devil”), German Teufel (“devil”), Bavarian Teifl (“devil”), Danish djævel (“devil”), Swedish djävul (“devil”) (older: djefvul, Old Swedish diævul, Old Norse djǫfull). Doublet of diable, diablo, and diabolus.
Relationships mentioned by the source
These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.
- Inherited-form mentiondevilenm
- Inherited-form mentiondēofolang
- Inherited-form mention*diubulgmw-pro
- Derivation mentiondiabolusla
- Derivation mentionδιάβολοςgrc
- Cognate mentionDüüwelstq
- Cognate mentionduvelfy
- Cognate mentionduivelnl
- Cognate mentionTeufelde
- Cognate mentionTeiflbar
- Cognate mentiondjævelda
- Cognate mentiondjävulsv
- Cognate mentiondiævulgmq-osw
- Cognate mentiondjǫfullnon
- Doublet mentiondiableen
- Doublet mentiondiabloen
- Doublet mentiondiabolusen
This page abbreviates 4 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.
Inspect preserved source fields
Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.
{
"templates": [
{
"name": "etymon",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": ":inh",
"3": "enm:devel<id:devil>",
"id": "Satan",
"tree": "1"
},
"expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dwóh₁\n▲\nProto-Indo-European *trísinflu.\nProto-Indo-European *dwísder.\nAncient Greek διά (diá)\nAncient Greek δια- (dia-)\nProto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der.\nProto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō\nAncient Greek βάλλω (bállō)\nAncient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō)\nAncient Greek διάβολος (diábolos)bor.\nLatin diabolusbor.\nProto-West Germanic *diubul\nOld English dēofol\nMiddle English devel\nEnglish devil\n[Appendix:Glossary#loanword|Borrowed]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"devil\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"slanderous\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"throw over\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"gloss\" : \"across\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"through\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"twice\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"two\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*dwóh₁\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" }, { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"influ.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Influenced by\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"thrice\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*trís\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"influence\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*dwís\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"διά\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"δια-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" }, { \"gloss\" : \"to throw\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"throw\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*gʷelH-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Hellenic\", \"term\" : \"*gʷəlnō\", \"status\" : \"inline\", \"lang\" : \"grk-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"βάλλω\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"διαβάλλω\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Ancient Greek\", \"term\" : \"διάβολος\", \"lang\" : \"grc\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Latin\", \"term\" : \"diabolus\", \"lang\" : \"la\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*diubul\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"dēofol\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"devel\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"devil\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"Satan\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"devil\" id=\"English:_Satan\">"
},
{
"name": "inh",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "devil"
},
"expansion": "Middle English devil"
},
{
"name": "inh",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "ang",
"3": "dēofol"
},
"expansion": "Old English dēofol"
},
{
"name": "inh",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "gmw-pro",
"3": "*diubul"
},
"expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *diubul"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "la",
"3": "diabolus"
},
"expansion": "Latin diabolus"
},
{
"name": "der",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "grc",
"3": "διάβολος",
"4": "",
"5": "false accuser, slanderer"
},
"expansion": "Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos, “false accuser, slanderer”)"
},
{
"name": "noncog",
"args": {
"1": "hbo",
"2": "שָׂטָן",
"tr": "śātān"
},
"expansion": "Biblical Hebrew שָׂטָן (śātān)"
},
{
"name": "m+",
"args": {
"1": "la",
"2": "diabolus"
},
"expansion": "Latin diabolus"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "Düüwel",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian Düüwel (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "fy",
"2": "duvel",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "West Frisian duvel (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "nl",
"2": "duivel",
"3": "",
"4": ""
},
"expansion": "Dutch duivel"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "nds-de",
"2": "Düvel",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "German Low German Düvel (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "de",
"2": "Teufel",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "German Teufel (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "bar",
"2": "Teifl",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "Bavarian Teifl (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "da",
"2": "djævel",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "Danish djævel (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "sv",
"2": "djävul",
"3": "",
"4": "devil"
},
"expansion": "Swedish djävul (“devil”)"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "gmq-osw",
"2": "diævul"
},
"expansion": "Old Swedish diævul"
},
{
"name": "cog",
"args": {
"1": "non",
"2": "djǫfull"
},
"expansion": "Old Norse djǫfull"
},
{
"name": "doublet",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "diable",
"3": "diablo",
"4": "diabolus"
},
"expansion": "Doublet of diable, diablo, and diabolus"
},
{
"name": "etymon",
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": ":inh",
"3": "enm:devel<id:devil>",
"id": "Satan",
"tree": "1"
},
"expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *dwóh₁\n▲\nProto-Indo-European *trísinflu.\nProto-Indo-European *dwísder.\nAncient Greek διά (diá)\nAncient Greek δια- (dia-)\nProto-Indo-European *gʷelH-der.\nProto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō\nAncient Greek βάλλω (bállō)\nAncient Greek διαβάλλω (diabállō)\nAncient Greek διάβολος (diábolos)bor.\nLatin diabolusbor.\nProto-West Germanic *diubul\nOld English dēofol\nMiddle English devel\nEnglish devil"
}
],
"links": [
[
"*dwóh₁",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dwóh₁#Proto-Indo-European:_two"
],
[
"*trís",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/trís#Proto-Indo-European:_thrice"
],
[
"*dwís",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dwís#Proto-Indo-European:_twice"
],
[
"διά",
"διά#Ancient_Greek:_through"
],
[
"δια-",
"δια-#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"*gʷelH-",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/gʷelH-#Proto-Indo-European:_throw"
],
[
"*gʷəlnō",
"Reconstruction:Proto-Hellenic/gʷəlnō"
],
[
"βάλλω",
"βάλλω#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"διαβάλλω",
"διαβάλλω#Ancient_Greek:_throw_over"
],
[
"διάβολος",
"διάβολος#Ancient_Greek:_slanderous"
],
[
"diabolus",
"diabolus#Latin:_devil"
],
[
"*diubul",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/diubul#Proto-West_Germanic:_devil"
],
[
"dēofol",
"deofol#Old_English:_devil"
],
[
"devel",
"devel#Middle_English:_devil"
],
[
"devil",
"devil#Middle_English"
],
[
"devel",
"devel#Middle_English"
],
[
"deovel",
"deovel#Middle_English"
],
[
"dēofol",
"deofol#Old_English"
],
[
"*diubul",
"Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/diubul"
],
[
"diabolus",
"diabolus#Latin"
],
[
"διάβολος",
"διάβολος#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"שָׂטָן",
"שטן#Hebrew"
],
[
"διαβάλλω",
"διαβάλλω#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"διά",
"διά#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"βάλλω",
"βάλλω#Ancient_Greek"
],
[
"diabolus",
"diabolus#Latin"
],
[
"Düüwel",
"Düüwel#Saterland_Frisian"
],
[
"duvel",
"duvel#West_Frisian"
],
[
"duivel",
"duivel#Dutch"
],
[
"duvel",
"duvel#Dutch"
],
[
"Düvel",
"Düvel#Low_German"
],
[
"Teufel",
"Teufel#German"
],
[
"Teifl",
"Teifl#Bavarian"
],
[
"djævel",
"djævel#Danish"
],
[
"djävul",
"djävul#Swedish"
],
[
"djefvul",
"djefvul#Swedish"
],
[
"diævul",
"diævul#Old_Swedish"
],
[
"djǫfull",
"djǫfull#Old_Norse"
],
[
"diable",
"diable#English"
],
[
"diablo",
"diablo#English"
],
[
"diabolus",
"diabolus#English"
]
],
"references": [],
"descendants": [],
"lexical": [
{
"pos": "name",
"glosses": [
"The chief devil; Satan."
],
"tags": [],
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"rawRecordSha256": "dbca70dd79ed2141b6383c61ef7f93741f10ca70e97de0f7bce5f2e115fa70e2",
"sourceRecordOrdinal": 190180
},
{
"pos": "verb",
"glosses": [
"To make like a devil; to invest with the character of a devil.",
"To annoy or bother.",
"To work as a ‘devil’; to work for a lawyer or writer without fee or recognition.",
"To ghostwrite; to author while working as a ‘devil’."
],
"tags": [
"intransitive"
],
"recordId": "6bb55c2690b5284c995f190703281ebed78f8c09c76a16aa4d14553f91809ea2",
"rawRecordSha256": "28e9b82348af59f03647ad62d35c066aa0bdb706808d2cabd5fd5d6da5386bbd",
"sourceRecordOrdinal": 190182
}
],
"omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
"templates": 0,
"links": 0,
"references": 0,
"descendants": 0,
"lexicalRecords": 0,
"lexicalSenses": 4,
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}