A Scottish word for devil, often used in folklore and poetry to refer to a mischievous or evil spirit.
From Middle English 'devel', related to Old English 'deofol', ultimately from Latin 'diabolus' (adversary, devil). The Scottish form 'deil' developed in Scots dialect, famously used by Robert Burns.
Robert Burns called his imaginary companion 'Deil' in his poetry—it's a perfect example of how Scottish dialect preserved older pronunciations that had already shifted in English.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.