¹devil

noun dev·il \ˈde-v^əl dial ˈdi-\

the Devil : the most powerful spirit of evil in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam who is often represented as the ruler of hell

: an evil spirit

: a person who does bad things or causes trouble usually in a way that is not too serious

Full Definition of DEVIL

often capitalized : the personal supreme spirit of evil often represented in Jewish and Christian belief as the tempter of humankind, the leader of all apostate angels, and the ruler of hell —usually used with the —often used as an interjection, an intensive, or a generalized term of abuse <what the devil is this?> <the devil you say!>

: an evil spirit : demon

a : an extremely wicked person : fiend

b archaic : a great evil

: a person of notable energy, recklessness, and dashing spirit; also : one who is mischievous <those kids are little devils today>

: fellow —usually used in the phrases poor devil, lucky devil

a : something very trying or provoking <having a devil of a time with this problem>

b : severe criticism or rebuke : hell —used with the <I'll probably catch the devil for this>

c : the difficult, deceptive, or problematic part of something <the devil is in the details>

: dust devil

Christian Science : the opposite of Truth : a belief in sin, sickness, and death : evil, error

— between the devil and the deep blue sea

: faced with two equally objectionable alternatives

— devil to pay

: severe consequences —used with the <there'll be the devil to pay if we're late>

See devil defined for English-language learners

See devil defined for kids

Origin of DEVIL

Middle English devel, from Old English dēofol, from Late Latin diabolus, from Greek diabolos, literally, slanderer, from diaballein to throw across, slander, from dia- + ballein to throw; probably akin to Sanskrit gurate he lifts up

First Known Use: before 12th century