succubus
Succubus (noun) means In folklore, a female demon believed to seduce men in their sleep. Example: “The medieval woodcut depicted a succubus hovering over a sleeping monk.”
How to use succubus
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA legendary female demon said to visit and seduce men in dreams.
A succubus is female; its male counterpart in folklore is the incubus.
Word forms
- Plural
- succubi, succubuses
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The medieval woodcut depicted a _____ hovering over a sleeping monk.
Etymology
From Late Latin succuba ("mythical female fiend"), from Latin succubare ("to lie under"), from sub- ("under") plus cubare ("to lie down"); shaped in Middle English to match incubus.