she-devil

the compound "she-devil" is a modern english formation that directly combines two old english elements. the pronoun "she," which evolved from the old english feminine demonstrative pronoun sēo, is used attributively to specify gender. it is attached to "devil," a term with deep religious and mythological roots, entering english via latin and greek, where it originally meant 'slanderer.' the compound logic is transparent, creating a gendered counterpart to the generic "devil," metaphorically applying the ultimate symbol of malice and evil specifically to a woman. this pejorative term reflects cultural archetypes that personify extreme wickedness or cruelty in feminine form, blending a simple gender marker with a powerful, ancient concept of evil.

Structure: she (female) + devil (evil spirit) "she" (old english, pronoun denoting a female person) + "devil" (old english, from latin diabolus and greek diabolos, meaning 'slanderer' or 'accuser', referring to an evil spirit or supreme spirit of evil).