devilish
adjective
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In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, Satan is usually referred to as diabolos or “slanderer” (from the Greek verb diaballein, “to slander,” literally “to throw across”). But in the Greek New Testament, the Hebrew word, which is Satanas or Satan in its Greek form, is used as if it were the devil’s proper name. The older Latin translations of the Bible retain Greek diabolos as diabolus, but St. Jerome’s version, the Vulgate, calls the devil Satan. Both words were borrowed into Old English, and we now call this figure both Satan and the Devil. The derived form devilish first appears in the 15th century.
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Examples of devilish in a Sentence
EW.com, 20 Nov. 2024
The joy of Aston Villa's devilish left-sided attacks Cooper's fighting talk is part of Leicester's new combative off-field approach
Confidence.
—New York Times, 20 Sep. 2024
Harris' court case attracted lots of attention, with some clamoring for Sam to return to his devilish lifestyle and animal rights activists demanding the chimp be released from his racy conditions.
—Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 13 Nov. 2024
Jonathan is a mild-mannered, sweet-as-pie victim and Catherine is a devilish cougar, preying on a young man just trying to backpack through Europe.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 11 Nov. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devilish. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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devilish
adjective
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