noun · 7 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
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No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unpleasant person, disagreeable person
7
noun
Meaning 7
a situation resembling a terrifying dream
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: nightmare
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: situation
History
Etymology
From Late Latin incubus, from Latin incubō (“nightmare, one who lies down on the sleeper”), from incubō (“to lie upon, to hatch”, from in- (“on”) + cubō (“to lie down”)).
Across languages
Translations
83 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
جَاثُوم
(jāṯūm)
— an evil spirit
Arabic:
كَابُوس
(kābūs)
— an evil spirit
Basque:
inkubo
— an evil spirit
Bulgarian:
инку́б
(inkúb)
— an evil spirit
Bulgarian:
инку́бус
(inkúbus)
— an evil spirit
Catalan:
íncub
— an evil spirit
Catalan:
íncube
— an evil spirit
Chinese Mandarin:
惡魔 /恶魔
(èmó)
— an evil spirit
Czech:
incubus
— an evil spirit
Dutch:
incubus
— an evil spirit
Esperanto:
inkubo
— an evil spirit
Finnish:
incubus
— an evil spirit
Finnish:
miespuolinen demoni
— an evil spirit
French:
incube
— an evil spirit
German:
Inkubus
— an evil spirit
Hungarian:
inkubusz
— an evil spirit
Hungarian:
lidérc
— an evil spirit
Italian:
incubo
— an evil spirit
Japanese:
インキュバス
(inkyubasu)
— an evil spirit
Japanese:
夢魔
(muma)
— an evil spirit
Korean:
몽마
(mongma)
— an evil spirit
Latin:
incubus
— an evil spirit
Latin:
incubo
— an evil spirit
Lithuanian:
inkubai
— an evil spirit
Marathi:
इंक्युबस
(iṅkyubas)
— an evil spirit
Persian:
کابوس
(kâbus)
— an evil spirit
Persian:
بختک
(baxtak)
— an evil spirit
Persian:
درفنجک
(darfanjak)
— an evil spirit
Polish:
inkub
— an evil spirit
Portuguese:
íncubo
— an evil spirit
Romanian:
incub
— an evil spirit
Russian:
инку́б
(inkúb)
— an evil spirit
Russian:
де́мон
(démon)
— an evil spirit
Russian:
злой дух
(zloj dux)
— an evil spirit
Russian:
злой ге́ний
(zloj génij)
— an evil spirit
Spanish:
íncubo
— an evil spirit
Sumerian:
𒋼𒇲
(/gallu/)
— an evil spirit
Sumerian:
𒌜
(/udug/)
— an evil spirit
Sumerian:
𒀉𒉺
(/asag/)
— an evil spirit
Sumerian:
𒀀𒇲
(/ala/)
— an evil spirit
Swedish:
incubus
— an evil spirit
Turkish:
karabasan
— an evil spirit
Arabic:
كابوس
— a nightmare
Arabic:
حلم
— a nightmare
Bulgarian:
кошмар
(košmar)
— a nightmare
Catalan:
íncub
— a nightmare
Catalan:
íncube
— a nightmare
Chinese Mandarin:
夢魘 /梦魇
(mèngyǎn)
— a nightmare
Dutch:
nachtmerrie
— a nightmare
French:
cauchemar
— a nightmare
French:
terreurs nocturnes
— a nightmare
French:
incube
— a nightmare
German:
Albtraum
— a nightmare
Hungarian:
lidércnyomás
— a nightmare
Italian:
incubo
— a nightmare
Japanese:
悪夢
(akumu)
— a nightmare
Latin:
incubo
— a nightmare
Latin:
incubus
— a nightmare
Polish:
koszmar
— a nightmare
Portuguese:
pesadelo
— a nightmare
Portuguese:
íncubo
— a nightmare
Russian:
кошма́р
(košmár)
— a nightmare
Russian:
дурно́й сон
(durnój son)
— a nightmare
Spanish:
pesadilla
— a nightmare
Arabic:
باروك
(bārūk)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Bulgarian:
кошмар
(košmar)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Dutch:
last
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Dutch:
juk
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Dutch:
obsessie
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
fardeau
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
boulet
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
croix
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
tyran
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
sangsue
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
French:
vampire
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
German:
Last
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
German:
Kreuz
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Japanese:
重荷
(omoni)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Russian:
груз забо́т
(gruz zabót)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Russian:
гнёт
(gnjot)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Russian:
бре́мя
(brémja)
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Spanish:
cruz
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
Spanish:
carga
— oppressive thing or person; a burden
