archdevil

English

Etymology

From arch- +‎ devil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɑɹt͡ʃˈdɛvəl/
• (rare) IPA^(key): /ɑɹt͡ʃˈdɛvɪl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

archdevil (plural archdevils)

1. (theology, rare, religion, fantasy, science fiction) A chief or reigning devil.

   Coordinate terms: subdevil, underdevil

   • 1802, The Anti-Jacobin Review and Magazine, Volume 12‎^[1], Open Court Publishing Company, page 30:

     From the context and other parts of the work, we are to understand that the demons here described are the personal friends of our sovereign, and that the archdevil was the mother of our sovereign.

   • 1841, George Waddington, A History of the Reformation on the Continent: In Three Volumes‎^[2], Duncan and Malcolm, page 155:

     In short, it is purely the work of the devil that they are doing, and especially that of the archdevil, who presides at Muhlhausen, and directs nothing but robbery, murder and bloodshed.

   • 1851, Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers: With Brief Notices of Passing Events, Facts, and Opinions, A.D. 1812 to A.D. 1842‎^[3], Lippincott, Grambo and Company, page 517:

     A spirit of ultraism seems to pervade the whole community. The language of Milton's archdevil "Evil, be thou my good" is the creed of modern reformers, or, in other words — anything for a change. What is to come of all this, I have not wisdom even to guess. It is an age of transition and whether you and I live to see the elements of the moral and political world at rest, is, I think, extretmely doubtful.

   • 1896, Marvin Richardson Vincent, The Age of Hildebrand‎^[4], Christian Literature Company, page 267:

     The bishops in question were described as archdevils, priests of Baal, standard-bearers of the Balaamites, and children of perdition.

   • 1940, United States Congress, The Madras Law Journal‎^[5], page 813:

     They are archdevils. Partake not of anything from their hands. Now I shall sell myself and do this act if only I have thee at my back.

2. (computing, Unix) A program, or part of a program, which is not invoked explicitly but lies dormant waiting for some event.

Related terms

• archidiabolical

Translations

archdemon — see archdemon

See also

• archdemon
• archfiend
• (computing): daemon