deofol

• dēoful, dīoful, dīofol

From Proto-West Germanic *diubul.

• IPA^(key): /ˈde͜oː.fol/, [ˈde͜oː.vol]

dēofol or sē dēofol n or m

1. the Devil, Satan
   • Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church

     Hwīlon cōm sē dēofol, on ānre dīgelnysse, mid purpuran ġescrȳd, and mid helme ġeglenġd, tō ðām hālgan were, þǣr hē hine ġebǣd, and cwæð, þæt hē wǣre witodlīċe sē Hǣlend.

     Once the Devil came, shrouded in a purple garment and adorned with a crown, to the holy man in a recess where he was praying, and said that he was truly the Savior.

dēofol n or m

1. a demon, devil
   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Memory of the Saints"

     Nū syndon eahta hēafod-mæġnu ðā magan ofer-swīðan þās foresǣdan dēoflu þurh drihtnes fultum.

     Now there are eight Chief Virtues, which may overcome these aforesaid devils, through the Lord's assistance.

   • c. 992, Ælfric, "Sexigesima Sunday"

     Dēoflu sind fuglas ġeċīeġedu for þon 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.

   • late 10th century, Ælfric, "Memory of the Saints"

     Seo eahteoðe leahter is superbia gehaten þæt is on ænglisc modigynss gecweden. Seo is ord and ende ælcere synne. Seo geworhte englas to atelicum deoflum...

     The eighth sin is called Superbia that is called Pride, in English, which is the beginning and end of every sin; it made angels into horrible devils,...

• This word can sometimes be masculine in the singular, though it is almost always neuter in the plural.

Strong a-stem:

• Middle English: devel, deovel, deevel, devil, dyvel, devul, devyl, devell, devyll, deul, dewel, deyle, devull, dele
  • English: devil (see there for further descendants)
  • Scots: deil, deel, deevil
  • Yola: deevil, deel (syncopated)