deofol

Old English

Alternative forms

dēoful, dīoful, diofol

Etymology

From Latin diabolus, from Ancient Greek διάβολος (diábolos). Cognate with Old Frisian diōvel, Old Saxon diuval, Old High German tiufal, Old Norse djǫfull, and Gothic 𐌳𐌹𐌰𐌱𐌰𐌿𐌻𐌿𐍃 (diabaulus).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈdeːo̯vol/

Noun

dēofol n

the Devil, Satan
a devil, demon, evil spirit
- 10th century, Ælfric, "Sexigesima Sunday"
  Dēofol sind fuglas ġeċīeġede for þām þe hīe flēogaþ ġeond þās lyft unġesewenlīċe, swā swā fuglas dōþ ġesewenlīċe.
  Demons are called birds because they fly through the air invisibly, just as birds do visibly.

Declension

Declension of deofol (strong a-stem)

Case	Singular	Plural
nominative	dēofol	dēofol
accusative	dēofol	dēofol
genitive	dēofles	dēofla
dative	dēofle	dēoflum

Usage notes

The nominative plural can also be dēoflu.
This word can sometimes be masculine in the singular, though it is almost always neuter in the plural.
In the sense "THE Devil", i.e. Satan, it can be used either with or without a definite article.

Descendants

Middle English: devel, deovel, deevel, devil, dyvel, devul, devyl, devell, devyll, deul, dewel, deyle, devull, dele
- English: devil, divel
  - Tok Pisin: tewel
  - → Chuukese: tefin
- Scots: deil, deel, deevil