demoniacal

English

Alternative forms

• dæmoniacal (obsolete)

Etymology

From Latin daemoniacus +‎ -al.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌdiːməˈnaɪəkəl/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

demoniacal (comparative more demoniacal, superlative most demoniacal)

1. Pertaining to, characteristic of, or produced by a demon or evil spirit; devilish, demonic, fiendish.

   sarcastic, demoniacal laughter

   • 1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “In which Miss Sharp and Miss Sedley Prepare to Open the Campaign”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 13:

     Rebecca laughed in her face, with a horrid sarcastic demoniacal laughter, that almost sent the schoolmistress into fits.

   • 1886 October – 1887 January, H[enry] Rider Haggard, “The Head of the Ethiopian”, in She: A History of Adventure, London: Longmans, Green, and Co., published 1887, →OCLC, page 59:

     'What do you think of that, Job?' I asked of our retainer, who was sitting on the edge of the boat, trying to get as much sunshine as possible, and generally looking uncommonly wretched, and I pointed to the fiery and demoniacal head.

   • 1887, Harriet W. Daly, Digging, Squatting, and Pioneering Life in the Northern Territory of South Australia, page 72:

     The spectator feels almost persuaded that he is witnessing some unearthly demoniacal orgie.

Derived terms

• demoniacally

 

Translations

pertaining to, characteristic of, or produced by a demon, evil, devilish — see devilish,‎ demonic,‎ fiendish

Anagrams

• Alcmaeonid, daemonical, dæmonical, meciadanol