devil devil

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

Reduplicated form of devil; originally in Australian Pidgin English.

Noun

devil devil (plural devil devils)

  1. (Australia) An evil spirit in traditional Aboriginal belief. [from 19th c.]
    • 1937, Ion L. Idriess, Over the Range, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, published 1947, page 74:
      But his lubra was there: she said he had gone away on some devil-devil business.
    • 2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 282:
      She said they had to hide from the bad people because they might be devil-devils in disguise.
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