devilish

adjective

dev·​il·​ish ˈde-vᵊl-ish How to pronounce devilish (audio)
ˈdev-lish
1
: resembling or befitting a devil: such as
a
b
: mischievous, roguish
a devilish grin
2
: extreme
in a devilish hurry
devilish adverb
devilishly adverb
devilishness noun

Did you know?

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.

Examples of devilish in a Sentence

She was attracted by his devilish charm. There was a devilish look of mischief in her eyes.
Recent Examples on the Web There's a reason for that longevity: Not only are the three witches (Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker) both menacing and humorous, but their demise rests on a few clever kids who have to figure out how to exorcise the devilish trio for good. Gwen Ihnat, EW.com, 25 Sep. 2024 There’s a famous photograph/internet meme of a young girl giving a devilish smirk in the foreground as a house burns down behind her. Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Sep. 2024 In other words: Grant is just a man, standing in front of two women, asking them to indulge his devilish ideas. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 20 Sep. 2024 In addition to dealing with his personal demons, Tony finds himself in a confrontation with a devilish entity on the set of the film. Tim Lammers, Forbes, 14 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for devilish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'devilish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English develyssh, from devel devil entry 1 + -yssh -ish

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of devilish was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near devilish

Cite this Entry

“Devilish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/devilish. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

devilish

adjective
dev·​il·​ish ˈdev-(ə-)lish How to pronounce devilish (audio)
1
: characteristic of or resembling the devil
devilish tricks
2
: extreme entry 1 sense 1, excessive
in a devilish hurry
devilish adverb
devilishly adverb
devilishness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on devilish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!