Mephistopheles

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Mephistopheles \Meph*is*toph"e*les\
     (m[e^]f*[i^]s*tof"[-e]*l[=e]z) [Written Mephostophilus in
     Shakespeare, Fletcher etc., Mephostophilis in Marlowe, but
     now generally Mephistopheles, as in Goethe: a made-up name,
     like most of the names of the medieval devils, but supposed
     by some to be formed (irregularly) from Gr. mh`, not, fw^s


     (fwt-), light, and fi`los, loving.]
     A familiar spirit mentioned in the old legend of Sir John
     Faustus, and a principal agent in Marlowe's play Dr. Faustus
     and in Goethe's Faust. In medieval demonology, he was one of
     the seven chief devils.
     [Century Dictionary 1906]
  
           He is frequently referred to as "the Devil," but it was
           well understood that he was only a devil. Goethe took
           only the name and a few circumstances connected with
           the first appearance of Mephistopheles from the legend:
           the character, from first to last, is his own creation;
           and, in his own words, "on account of the irony and
           knowledge of the world it displays, is not easily
           comprehended." Although he sometimes slyly used it
           (though less frequently than Faust) as a mask through
           which to speak with his own voice, he evidently drew
           the germ of some characteristics from his early
           associate, Merck. . . . The original form of this name
           was Mephostophiles. There has been much discussion in
           regard to its meaning, but D["u]ntzen's conjecture is
           probably correct, -- that it was imperfectly formed by
           some one who knew little Greek, and was intended to
           signify "not loving the light."          --B. Taylor,
                                                    Notes to
                                                    Faust.
     [Century Dictionary 1906] Mephitic

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Mephistopheles
       n : evil spirit to whom Faust sold his soul