# what the Devil

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/what-the-devil
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

Used to add emphasis to “what” when beginning a question.

## Examples

- What the devil is that noise outside?
- What the devil are you wearing to the party?
- What the devil does this strange button do?
- What the devil do you want from me at this hour?
- I opened the package and wondered, what the devil is this supposed to be?
- My boss looked at the messy office and asked what the devil we had been doing all morning.
- I checked my bank account and shouted what the devil when I saw the huge bill.
- The mechanic looked under the hood of the broken car and asked what the devil the previous owner had done to the engine.
- As the strange lights appeared in the night sky, he stared upward and whispered, what the devil is happening?

## Origin

Inherited from Middle English *what þe devel* and *what devel*, the phrase persists as a relic of medieval emphasis. The definite article was occasionally discarded in earlier usage, though the sentiment remained consistent. The construction has remained structurally stable since the Middle English period, serving as a standard intensification of the interrogative.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.