Standard Lemma guide

dybbuk

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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.

  • /ˈdɪbʊk/
  • /ˈdɪbək/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A malicious possessing spirit, believed to be the dislocated soul of a dead person.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Judaism

Topics: human-sciences, mysticism, mythology, philosophy, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(Jewish folklore) a demon that enters the body of a living person and controls that body's behavior

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: dibbuk

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: devil, fiend, demon, daemon, daimon

History

Etymology

From Yiddish דיבוק (dibek), from Hebrew דבק (dovek, “cling”).

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: dibbouk — Translations
  • German: Dibbuk — Translations
  • Yiddish: דיבוק (dibek) — Translations