Bedevil
/bɪˈdɛv.əl/noun
To torment, confuse, or trouble severely.
Did you know?Bedevil is a true English creation from the 16th century, built from the prefix be- plus devil, and it shows how English can turn a religious figure into a verb for mental and spiritual torment.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dyeu-
“to shine; sky, god”
Ancient Greek
Greek
diábolos
“slanderer, accuser”
Late Latin
Latin
diabolus
“the Devil”
Middle English
English
devel/devil
“the Devil, evil spirit”
16th Century
English
bedevilen
“to make into or treat as if possessed by the Devil”
Modern English
English
bedevil
“to harass, confuse, or torment”
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