Deviltry: meaning, definitions and examples
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deviltry
[ หdษvษltri ]
mischievous behavior
Deviltry refers to wickedness, mischief, or playful malignity. It often implies a sense of naughtiness or mischievousness, indicating actions that are morally wrong or harmful in nature. The term can invoke a sense of playful devilishness while also carrying serious connotations of evil or harm. It is often used in literature and conversation to describe behaviors that are not just mischievous but also malevolent.
Synonyms
devilishness, mischief, naughtiness, wickedness.
Examples of usage
- The children's deviltry led to a series of pranks.
- The villain's deviltry was evident in his schemes.
- She couldn't help but smile at the deviltry of his jokes.
Translations
Translations of the word "deviltry" in other languages:
๐ต๐น diabice
๐ฎ๐ณ เคฆเฅเคทเฅเคเคคเคพ
๐ฉ๐ช Teufelei
๐ฎ๐ฉ keburukan
๐บ๐ฆ ะดะธัะฒะพะปััะฒะพ
๐ต๐ฑ diabelstwo
๐ฏ๐ต ๆช่ก
๐ซ๐ท diablerie
๐ช๐ธ diablura
๐น๐ท ลeytanlฤฑk
๐ฐ๐ท ์ ํ
๐ธ๐ฆ ุดูุทูุฉ
๐จ๐ฟ ฤรกbelskost
๐ธ๐ฐ diablovanie
๐จ๐ณ ๆถ่ก
๐ธ๐ฎ hudiฤevska dejanja
๐ฎ๐ธ djรถflastarfsemi
๐ฐ๐ฟ ัะฐะนัะฐะฝะดัา
๐ฌ๐ช แแจแแแแแแ
๐ฆ๐ฟ ลeytanlฤฑq
๐ฒ๐ฝ diablura
Etymology
The word 'deviltry' comes from the root word 'devil,' which is derived from the Latin term 'diabolus,' meaning 'slanderer' or 'accuser.' This Latin term further traces back to the Greek word 'diabolos.' In contemporary use, 'devil' signifies not just the traditional biblical figure of evil but also refers to anyone acting in a wicked manner. The suffix '-try' typically indicates a state or condition, thereby forming 'deviltry' as the state of being devilish or mischievous. Records of usage suggest that 'deviltry' has been used in English since the 15th century, often in literary contexts, to describe not just the actions but also the playful or sinister aspect of mischief.