diablo
diablo Lexical Profile
• noun
A devil, demon, or fiendish spirit, especially in Spanish-speaking cultures or folklore.
"During the traditional festival, performers wore elaborate masks depicting a horned diablo."
American A hot, dry, gusty wind that blows from the northeast across the coastal ranges of northern California, particularly in the San Francisco Bay Area.
"Forecasters issued a high fire danger warning as a strong diablo swept down through the canyons."
A variant spelling of diabolo, an hourglass-shaped juggling prop spun and tossed on a string tied between two handsticks.
"The street performer tossed the spinning diablo high into the air and caught it effortlessly on the taut string."
Word Nuance & Usage
As a juggling prop, the standard spelling is 'diabolo' (with an extra 'o'), though 'diablo' is a frequent variant spelling.
• Rhymes for diablo
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Spanish diablo ('devil'), from Late Latin diabolus, and ultimately from Ancient Greek diabolos ('slanderer' or 'accuser').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.