diabolic

C2+ Topic:Describing People

US /ˌdaɪəˈbɑlɪk/ UK /ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
characteristic of the devil; fiendishly wicked or cruel

The plot revealed a diabolic scheme to frame an innocent man.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · characteristic of the... diabolical fiendish devilishsatanicdemonic infernal wicked

Opposites

angelic saintly divine heavenly

Word family

Derived forms diabolically diabolism

Related forms diabolical devildiabolize

Etymology

From Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek diabolikos, from diabolos ('slanderer, the devil'), from diaballein ('to throw across, slander'), from dia- ('across') + ballein ('to throw').

diabolikos Ancient Greek diaballein Ancient Greek *gʷelh₁- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing People Word Formation & Derivatives

# diabolic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˌdaɪəˈbɑlɪk
**IPA (UK):** ˌdaɪəˈbɒlɪk

## Meanings
1. characteristic of the devil; fiendishly wicked or cruel

## Examples
- The plot revealed a diabolic scheme to frame an innocent man.

## Synonyms
- diabolical
- fiendish
- devilish
- satanic
- demonic
- infernal
- wicked

## Antonyms
- angelic
- saintly
- divine
- heavenly

## Derived Forms
- diabolically
- diabolism

## Related Forms
- diabolical
- devil
- diabolize

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: diabolikos
- Root: diaballein
- Root: *gʷelh₁-

## Etymology
From Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek diabolikos, from diabolos ('slanderer, the devil'), from diaballein ('to throw across, slander'), from dia- ('across') + ballein ('to throw').

## AI Etymology
Diabolic is from Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek diabolikos, from diabolos ('slanderer, the devil'), from diaballein ('to throw across, slander'), from dia- ('across') + ballein ('to throw'). Important recorded forms include diabolikos (Ancient Greek), diaballein (Ancient Greek), and *gʷelh₁- (Proto-Indo-European). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers characteristic of the devil; fiendishly wicked or cruel. The wider family includes derived forms such as diabolically and diabolism and related words such as diabolical, devil, and diabolize.

## Topics
- Describing People
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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