deviltry

/ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi/

//ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi// noun

"deviltry" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“deviltry” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
8
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Devilry.

Corpus desk

Index EN-deviltry · deviltry · English

deviltry · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 8 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "D" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for deviltry
PropertyValue
Headworddeviltry
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi/
Letters8
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “deviltry” in English

deviltrysits beyond the 100,000 most-frequent English words, in the long tail of technical, archaic, or otherwise rare vocabulary where spelling doubt tends to strike hardest.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

deviltry is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Devilry.".

Our edit-distance generator produced no likely misspellings for deviltry, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: Variant of devilry, influenced by gallantry. The correct English form is deviltry, spelled D-E-V-I-L-T-R-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    Devilry.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how deviltry appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. The poor girl had a right to her chance, and he should not really alter anything by taking it away from her; for was she not the artist to the tips of her tresses (the ambassadress never in the world), and would she not take it out in something else if one were to make her deviate? So certain was that irrepressible deviltry to insist ever on its own.
  2. They stand back to make room for every rascal and demagogue who chooses to cloak his selfish deviltry under the veil of race pride.

Etymology

Variant of devilry, influenced by gallantry.

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "deviltry"?
"deviltry" is spelled D-E-V-I-L-T-R-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi/.
What does "deviltry" mean?
As a noun, "deviltry" means: Devilry.
How do you pronounce "deviltry"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "deviltry" is /ˈdɛv.əl.tɹi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "deviltry"?
Variant of devilry, influenced by gallantry. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list