An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

An evil spirit; demon. → dust devil.

M.E. devel, from O.E. deofol, from L.L. diabolus, from Gk. diabolos, literally, "slanderer," from diaballein "to throw across, slander," from dia- "across, through" + ballein to "throw."

Div "devil, demon" (Mid.Pers. dêw; O.Pers. daiva- "evil god, demon;" Av. daēva- "evil spirit, false god;" Skt. deva-; Gk. Zeus "supreme god;" L. deus "god;" PIE base *deiwos "god," from *dei- "to gleam, to shine").

A small but vigorous → whirlwind, usually of short duration, rendered visible by → dust, → sand, and → debris picked up from the ground (Meteorology Glossary, Amer. Meteo. Soc.). See also → dust storm, → dust whirl.

→ dust; → devil.