Etymology

sibylline

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Today it means: Of or pertaining to or resembling a sibyl or female oracle, especially the Cumaean Sibyl and the Sibylline Books. Full definition →

First used late 16th c.Latin sibyllinus
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The story

  1. Latin · borrowed fromsibyllinus
  2. English todaysibylline

From Latin sibyllinus, Sibillinus, from Sibylla. By surface analysis, sibyl + -ine.

First known use, by meaning

  • from late 16th c. Of or pertaining to or resembling a sibyl or female oracle, especially the Cumaean Sibyl and the Sibylline Books.
  • from late 16th c. Having oracle-like predicting powers, clairvoyant.
  • from late 16th c. Occult, mysterious.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.