adj
devilish
DEH-vuh-lihsh
adj
1
Wicked or mischievous in a way that recalls the devil.
"He gave a devilish grin before revealing the prank."
"The riddle had a devilish twist that fooled everyone."
adv
1
Extremely; used to intensify an adjective (informal, somewhat dated).
"It was a devilish hard exam, harder than anyone expected."
How to Use Devilish
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishWicked, mischievous, or fiendishly clever, sometimes in an admiring way.
Common pairings
a devilish grin
devilish charm
devilish trick
Word Forms
more devilish comparative, more devilish comparative, most devilish superlative, most devilish superlative
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Etymology
From Middle English develissh, formed from devil plus the adjective-forming suffix -ish.