ENGLISH
REFERENCE

satanic

adj.
C1 Advanced US //səˈtænɪk// UK //sɐtˈænɪk// sa·tan·ic

adj. connected to or like the devil. People use it to describe things that seem very evil or are related to the worship of Satan.

adj. relating to or characteristic of Satan; extremely evil or cruel in nature.


SIMPLE

The movie features a mysterious satanic ritual.

CONTEXTUAL

During the Middle Ages, many natural disasters were wrongly attributed to satanic influences or witchcraft.

COMPLEX

The poet used satanic imagery not to promote evil, but to symbolize a radical rebellion against the restrictive social hierarchies of his era.

Synonyms
Origin

From satan + -ic.

Usage

Often used figuratively to describe acts of extreme cruelty or malice beyond religious contexts.

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