Where does “devilry” come from?
Devilry derives from Middle English develrye, from Middle English -erie, from Old English dēofol, from Latin -arius, from Ancient Greek διάβολος meaning "slanderer" or "adversary," ultimately from διά meaning "through."
devilry (English): mischief; Wickedness; cruelty; An action...
Definitions
- mischief; Wickedness; cruelty; An action...
Ancestry of “devilry”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | develrye | A demonic influence; a creature of hell; Demonic... |
| 2 | Middle English | devel | Satan, Lucifer; A devil; an evil creature that... |
| 3 | Old English | dēofol | demon |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | diubul | devil |
| 5 | Latin | diabolus | devil |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | διάβολος | slanderous; libellous; slanderer; the Devil |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | διαβάλλω | throw over or across; set at variance, make a... |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | δῐᾰ- | apart; through, across; through; in different... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | διά | throughout |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | dwís | twice, doubly; in two |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dwóh₁ | two |