Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
One who debates from a viewpoint which one may not actually hold, usually to determine its validity or simply for the sake of argument.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: idiomatic
Examples
- I don't really believe all that – I was just playing devil's advocate.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A canon lawyer appointed by the Church to argue against the canonization of the proposed candidate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
Topics: Catholicism, Christianity, Roman-Catholicism
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
To play devil's advocate.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal, intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
someone who takes the worse side just for the sake of argument
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: debater, arguer
Calque of Latin advocātus diabolī (“the devil’s advocate”), a popular title given to the officer dealing with the canonization process in the 16th c.
Across languages
Translations
48 source translations are retained for this English entry.
-
Arabic:
مُحَامِي الشَّيْطَان
(muḥāmī š-šayṭān)
— debater
-
Catalan:
advocat del diable
— debater
-
Chinese Mandarin:
惡魔的代言人 /恶魔的代言人
(èmó de dàiyánrén)
— debater
-
Chinese Mandarin:
魔鬼的訟辯人 /魔鬼的讼辩人
(móguǐ de sòngbiànrén)
— debater
-
Czech:
ďáblův advokát
— debater
-
Danish:
djævelens advokat
— debater
-
Dutch:
advocaat van de duivel
— debater
-
Finnish:
paholaisen asianajaja
— debater
-
French:
avocat du diable
— debater
-
German:
des Teufels Advokat
— debater
-
German:
Advocatus Diaboli
— debater
-
Greek:
συνήγορος του διαβόλου
(synígoros tou diavólou)
— debater
-
Greek:
δικηγόρος του διαβόλου
(dikigóros tou diavólou)
— debater
-
Hungarian:
az ördög ügyvédje
— debater
-
Italian:
avvocato del diavolo
— debater
-
Japanese:
悪魔の代弁者
(akuma no daibensha)
— debater
-
Korean:
악마의 변호인
(angmaui byeonhoin)
— debater
-
Lithuanian:
velnio advokatas
— debater
-
Norwegian:
djevelens advokat
— debater
-
Polish:
adwokat diabła
— debater
-
Portuguese:
advogado do diabo
— debater
-
Romanian:
avocatul diavolului
— debater
-
Russian:
адвока́т дья́вола
(advokát dʹjávola)
— debater
-
Spanish:
abogado del diablo
— debater
-
Swedish:
djävulens advokat
— debater
-
Tagalog:
sugo ng diyablo
— debater
-
Ukrainian:
адвока́т дия́вола
(advokát dyjávola)
— debater
-
Catalan:
advocat del diable
— canon lawyer
-
Chinese Mandarin:
列聖審查官 /列圣审查官
(lièshèng shěncháguān)
— canon lawyer
-
Czech:
ďáblův advokát
— canon lawyer
-
Danish:
djævelens advokat
— canon lawyer
-
Finnish:
paholaisen asianajaja
— canon lawyer
-
German:
des Teufels Advokat
— canon lawyer
-
German:
Advocatus Diaboli
— canon lawyer
-
Greek:
συνήγορος του διαβόλου
(synígoros tou diavólou)
— canon lawyer
-
Hebrew:
פרקליט השטן
(praklít hasatán)
— canon lawyer
-
Italian:
avvocato del diavolo
— canon lawyer
-
Japanese:
列聖調査審問検事
(ressei chōsa shinmon kenji)
— canon lawyer
-
Latin:
advocatus diaboli
— canon lawyer
-
Lithuanian:
velnio advokatas
— canon lawyer
-
Norwegian:
djevelens advokat
— canon lawyer
-
Polish:
adwokat diabła
— canon lawyer
-
Polish:
promotor wiary
— canon lawyer
-
Portuguese:
advogado do diabo
— canon lawyer
-
Romanian:
avocatul diavolului
— canon lawyer
-
Russian:
адвока́т дья́вола
(advokát dʹjávola)
— canon lawyer
-
Spanish:
abogado del diablo
— canon lawyer
-
Tagalog:
sugo ng diyablo
— canon lawyer
