Meanings
phrase
alternative talk of the devil
- humorousidiomaticAn expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.
A: You know who would appreciate this? Tom. B: Speak of the devil! Look who just walked in!
Synonyms: speaking of
Synonyms & antonyms
phraseAn expression sometimes used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive on the scene.
Similar
Origin
Ellipsis of speak of the devil and he shall appear, which can be traced back to “talk of the Devil, and he’s presently at your elbow”, attested in 1666. The idea behind this (namely, that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world; see taboo avoidance.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Basque otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertu
- otsoa aipatu, otsoa agertuexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Catalan parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la porta, no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animal
- parlant del rei de Roma, entra per la portaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- no es pot dir mal que no aparegui el animalexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Chinese Cantonese 一講曹操，曹操就到 /一讲曹操, 曹操就到
- 一講曹操，曹操就到 /一讲曹操expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- 曹操就到 (jat¹ gong² cou⁴ cou¹, cou⁴ cou¹ zau⁶ dou³)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- 說曹操，曹操到 /说曹操expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- 曹操到 (syut³ cou⁴ cou¹, cou⁴ cou¹ dou³)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Chinese Mandarin 說曹操，曹操到 /说曹操
- 說曹操，曹操到 /说曹操expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Czech my o vlku a vlk za dveřmi, my o vlku a vlk za humny
- my o vlku a vlk za dveřmiexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- my o vlku a vlk za humnyexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Danish når man taler om solen
- når man taler om solenexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Dutch als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staart
- als je het over de duivel hebt, dan zie je zijn staartexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Esperanto pri la lupo rakonto, kaj la lupo renkonte
- pri la lupo rakonto, kaj la lupo renkonteexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Estonian kus hundist juttu
- kus hundist juttuexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Finnish siinä paha missä mainitaan
- siinä paha missä mainitaanexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
French quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queue, quand on parle du loup
- quand on parle du loup, on en voit la queueexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- quand on parle du loupexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
German wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt er, wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weit
- wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann kommt erexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- wenn man vom Teufel spricht, dann ist er nicht weitexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Hungarian ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenik
- ne fesd az ördögöt a falra, mert megjelenikexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Icelandic oft kemur illur, oft kemur illur þá um er rætt
- oft kemur illurexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- oft kemur illur þá um er rættexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- oft kemur illur þá getið erexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- oft kemur góður þá getið er og illur þá um er rættexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Indonesian panjang umur
- panjang umurexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Irish tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhán
- tagann gach aon rud lena iomrá ach madadh rua agus marbhánexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Italian parli del diavolo e spuntano le corna
- parli del diavolo e spuntano le cornaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Japanese 噂をすれば, 噂をすれば影
- 噂をすれば (uwasa o sureba)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- 噂をすれば影 (uwasa o sureba kage)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- 噂をすれば影がさす (uwasa o sureba kage ga sasu)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Korean 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다
- 호랑이도 제 말 하면 온다 (horang'i-do je mal hamyeon onda)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Latin lupus in fābulā, lupus in sermōne
- lupus in fābulāexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- lupus in sermōneexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Lithuanian vilką minim, vilkas čia
- vilką minim, vilkas čiaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Norwegian snakke om sola, når man snakker om sola
- snakke om solaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- når man snakker om solaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Polish o wilku mowa, o wilku mowa, a wilk tu
- o wilku mowaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- o wilku mowa, a wilk tuexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Portuguese falando do diabo (aparece o rabo)
- falando do diabo (aparece o rabo)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Romanian vorbești de lup și lupul la ușă
- vorbești de lup și lupul la ușăexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Russian лёгок на поми́не, про се́рого речь, а се́рый навстре́чь
- лёгок на поми́не (ljógok na pomíne)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- про се́рого речь, а се́рый навстре́чь (pro sérovo rečʹ, a séryj navstréčʹ)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- о во́лке помо́лвка, а волк и тут (o vólke pomólvka, a volk i tut)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Scottish Gaelic thig an donas ri iomradh
- thig an donas ri iomradhexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Spanish habla del rey de Roma, y asoma, hablando del rey de Roma
- habla del rey de Roma, y asomaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- hablando del rey de Romaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Swedish tala om trollen, när man talar om trollen
- tala om trollenexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
- när man talar om trollenexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Thai ตายยาก
- ตายยากexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Turkish iti an, çomağı hazırla
- iti an, çomağı hazırlaexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Welsh sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraul
- sonier am ddiawl, fe ymddengys y cythraulexpression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Yiddish מע זאָל נאָר דערמאָנען משיחן
- מע זאָל נאָר דערמאָנען משיחן (me zol nor dermonen meshiekhn)expression used when a person mentioned in the current conversation happens to arrive
Cite this entry
APA
speak of the devil. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20of%20the%20devil
MLA
“speak of the devil.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20of%20the%20devil. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speak of the devil,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speak%20of%20the%20devil.
Source: speak of the devil on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.