diabolic
Definitions
Of or like the Devil; extremely evil or cruel.
恶魔般的；穷凶极恶的
Root Breakdown
Root-deriveddia- (across) + bol (throw) + -ic = 'devilish.' 'To throw across' slid into 'to throw accusations at, to slander.' The slanderer was diabolos — which became the name of the great Accuser, the Devil.
Root bol still carries 14 more wordsWhy It Means This
The chain is startling: from a plain 'throw' (bol) to 'throw across' (dia-) to 'throw charges at someone' (slander) to 'the Slanderer himself' (the Devil) to 'devilishly evil.' Knowing this, you can see why diabolical schemes are not just bad but calculated and malicious — the original slanderer was deliberate.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The dictator's diabolic cruelty shocked the whole world.
- 2.
It was a diabolic scheme designed to ruin his rival.
- 3.
There was something almost diabolic in her cold smile.
Synonym Comparison
- diabolic / diabolical — devilish, implying calculated, cunning evil
- evil — the broadest, plainest term for moral badness
- wicked — evil with a hint of mischief or relish
- fiendish — cruel and ingeniously cruel, like a fiend
- sinister — suggesting hidden, threatening evil yet to come