blue devil

noun

1
blue devils plural : low spirits : despondency, melancholy
2
a
: a common blue-rayed aster (Aster lowrieanus) of the eastern U.S.
3
a
: either of two Australian percoid fishes (Paraplesiops gigas and P. meleagris) brightly marked with light blue dots
b
: a small brilliantly marked blue fish (Pomacentrus fuscus) of the West Indies

Word History

First Known Use

1756, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue devil was in 1756

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Dictionary Entries Near blue devil

Cite this Entry

“Blue devil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20devil. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

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