mephistopheles

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: Meph=i=stoph=e=les

CIDE DICTIONARY

mephistopheles,  [Written Mephostophilus in Shakespeare, Fletcher etc., Mephostophilis in Marlowe, but now generally Mephistopheles, as in Goethe: a made-up name, like most of the names of the medieval devils, but supposed by some to be formed (irregularly) from Gr. mh`, not, fw^s (fwt-), light, and fi`los, loving.].

 A familiar spirit mentioned in the old legend of Sir John Faustus, and a principal agent in Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus and in Goethe's Faust. In medieval demonology, he was one of the seven chief devils.  [Century Dictionary 1906]
" He is frequently referred to as “the Devil,” but it was well understood that he was only a devil. Goethe took only the name and a few circumstances connected with the first appearance of Mephistopheles from the legend: the character, from first to last, is his own creation; and, in his own words, “on account of the irony and knowledge of the world it displays, is not easily comprehended.” Although he sometimes slyly used it (though less frequently than Faust) as a mask through which to speak with his own voice, he evidently drew the germ of some characteristics from his early associate, Merck. . . . The original form of this name was Mephostophiles. There has been much discussion in regard to its meaning, but D conjecture is probably correct, -- that it was imperfectly formed by some one who knew little Greek, and was intended to signify “not loving the light.”"  [Century Dictionary 1906]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

mephistopheles, n.
1 an evil spirit to whom Faust, in the German legend, sold his soul.
2 a fiendish person.

Derivative

Mephistophelean adj. Mephistophelian adj.

Etymology

G (16th c.), of unkn. orig.

ROGET THESAURUS

mephistopheles

Satan

N satan, the Devil, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Ahriman, Belial, Samael, Zamiel, Beelzebub, the Prince of the Devils, the tempter, the evil one, the evil spirit, the Adversary, the archenemy, the author of evil, the wicked one, the old Serpent, the Prince of darkness, the Prince of this world, the Prince of the power of the air, the foul fiend, the arch fiend, the devil incarnate, the common enemy, the angel of the bottomless pit, Abaddon, Apollyon, fallen angels, unclean spirits, devils, the rulers, the powers of darkness, inhabitants of Pandemonium, demon, diabolism, devilism, devilship, diabolology, satanism, devil worship, manicheism, the cloven foot, satanic, diabolic, devilish, infernal, hellborn, Mythological and other fabulous Deities and Powers.

Demon

N demon, daemon, demonry, demonology, evil genius, fiend, familiar, daeva, devil, bad spirit, unclean spirit, cacodemon, incubus, Eblis, shaitan, succubus, succuba, Frankenstein's monster, Titan, Shedim, Mephistopheles, Asmodeus, Moloch, Belial, Ahriman, fury, harpy, Friar Rush, vampire, ghoul, afreet, barghest, Loki, ogre, ogress, gnome, gin, jinn, imp, deev, lamia, bogie, bogeyman, bogle, nis, kobold, flibbertigibbet, fairy, brownie, pixy, elf, dwarf, urchin, Puck, Robin Goodfellow, leprechaun, Cluricaune, troll, dwerger, sprite, ouphe, bad fairy, nix, nixie, pigwidgeon, will-o'-the wisp, ghost, revenant, specter, apparition, spirit, shade, shadow, vision, hobglobin, goblin, orc, wraith, spook, boggart, banshee, loup-garou, lemures, evil eye, merman, mermaid, merfolk, siren, satyr, faun, manito, manitou, manitu, possession, demonic possession, diabolic possession, insanity, Maxwell's demon, demoniac, demonic, demonical, impish, demoniacal, fiendish, fiend-like, supernatural, weird, uncanny, unearthly, spectral, ghostly, ghost-like, elfin, elvin, elfish, elflike, haunted, pokerish, possessed, possessed by a devil, possessed by a demon, demonically.