advocatus diaboli

See also: Advocatus Diaboli

Latin

Etymology

From advocātus (“advocate”) + diabolī (“of the devil”) the genitive singular of diabolus (“the devil”). Literally meaning "the devil's advocate".

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ad.u̯oˈkaː.tus diˈa.bo.liː/, [äd̪u̯ɔˈkäːt̪ʊs̠ d̪iˈäbɔlʲiː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ad.voˈka.tus diˈa.bo.li/, [äd̪voˈkäːt̪us d̪iˈäːboli]

Noun

advocātus diabolī m (genitive advocātī diabolī); second declension

1. the devil's advocate, an officer of the Church whose role it is to argue against the canonization or beatification of a saint.

Declension

Second-declension noun with an indeclinable portion.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	advocātus diabolī	advocātī diabolī
Genitive	advocātī diabolī	advocātōrum diabolī
Dative	advocātō diabolī	advocātīs diabolī
Accusative	advocātum diabolī	advocātōs diabolī
Ablative	advocātō diabolī	advocātīs diabolī
Vocative	advocāte diabolī	advocātī diabolī

Antonyms

• advocātus Deī

Descendants

• English: devil's advocate (calque)
• Polish: adwokat diabła (calque)
• Portuguese: advogado do diabo (calque)
• Swedish: djävulens advokat (calque)

Swedish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin advocatus diaboli.

Noun

advocatus diaboli ?

1. Synonym of djävulens advokat (“devil's advocate”).
   • 1846 January 3, “Kärlekens Rättsstudier [Studies of the Law of Love]”, in Skånska Correspondenten, number 1, Lund, via Svenska tidningar, page 3:

     Man canoniſerar den älſkade; ty hon förekommer oß alltid ſåſom något heligt, den mognare öfwerläggningen må ſå mycket den will uppreſa ſig deremot ſåſom advocatus diaboli.

     One doth canonise the beloved; for she ever presenteth herself unto us as something sacred, however much mature deliberation may strive to oppose it in the manner of an advocatus diaboli.

   • 1899, Oscar Levertin, Rococo-noveller, via Swedish Literature Bank, pages 51–52:

     Alldeles yr och vimmelkant i hufvudet gick jag hem och raconterade min dilemma för den lugne van der Schink, utlade för honom min andes strid mellan frestelse och plikt, men den spjufvern tog sig för att uppträda som advocatus diaboli och argumentera pro et contra, till dess min svaga Adam blef besluten att infinna sig på madame Ruhnkenias rendez-vous.

     Completely dizzy and dazed, I went home and recounted my dilemma to the calm van der Schink, explaining to him my inner struggle between temptation and duty, but the rascal took it upon himself to act as the advocatus diaboli and argue both for and against, until my weak Adam resolved to attend Madame Ruhnkenia's rendezvous.

   • 1909, Yrjö Hirn, Det heliga skrinet, via Swedish Literature Bank, page 178:

     Patriarken i Konstantinopel, Nestorius, blef den advocatus diaboli, som mot sin vilja mer än någon annan indirekt befrämjade dyrkandet af Maria som en gudaföderska.

     The Patriarch of Constantinople, Nestorius, became the advocatus diaboli who, more than anyone else, indirectly promoted the worship of Mary as a God-bearer, against his will.