Where does “diabolically” come from?
diabolically (English) comes from English diabolical, from English diabolic, from Middle English diabolik, from Middle French diabolique, from Late Latin diabolicus, from Ancient Greek διαβολικός, from Ancient Greek Διάβολος, from Ancient Greek διαβάλλω — two.
diabolically (English): In a diabolical manner
Ancestry of “diabolically”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | diabolical | Extremely wicked or cruel; Of or concerning the... |
| 2 | English | diabolic | Showing wickedness typical of a devil; Extremely... |
| 3 | Middle English | diabolik | — |
| 4 | Middle French | diabolique | diabolic |
| 5 | Late Latin | diabolicus | diabolic; relating to the Devil |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | διαβολικός | devilish |
| 7 | Ancient Greek | Διάβολος | — |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | διαβάλλω | throw over or across; set at variance, make a... |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | δῐᾰ- | apart; through, across; through; in different... |
| 10 | Ancient Greek | διά | throughout |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | dwís | twice, doubly; in two |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | dwóh₁ | two |