Word journey
The word devil
the chief evil spirit; any evil spirit
The journey
| Form | Language | Date | Sense |
|---|---|---|---|
| diábolos | Ancient Greek · Ancient Greek Religion | 450 BCE | slanderer, false accuser (from diaballein, "throw across") |
| diábolos | Koine Greek (Septuagint) · Judaism | 250 BCE | Satan, the adversary (rendering Hebrew satan) |
| diabolus | Late Latin · Christianity | 400 CE | the devil |
| *diubul | Proto-West Germanic (reconstructed) · Christianity | undated | devil; reconstructed early borrowing |
| dēofol | Old English · Christianity | 900 CE | the devil; a demon |
What is certain and what is not
The Greek word means "slanderer", literally "one who throws across". English devil is not related to evil; other Germanic languages borrowed diabolus independently.