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Where does the word "incubus" come from? It comes from Latin incubāre, passing through Late Latin before entering English (1200s).
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Where does the word "incubus" come from? It comes from Latin incubāre, passing through Late Latin before entering English (1200s).
Incubus’s story begins in Latin: incubāre meant “to lie upon.” To lie upon, the root of 'incubate'. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Late Latin as incubus. A nightmare demon; medieval demonology, as in the 'Malleus Maleficarum' of 1486, gave it lurid detail. It reached English by 1200s as incubus. Also figuratively a crushing burden. Today, incubus means a male demon believed to lie upon sleeping women; a nightmare.
- Stage 1 · Latin · ancient incubāre "to lie upon", to lie upon, the root of 'incubate'.
- Stage 2 · Late Latin · ancient incubus "nightmare demon", a nightmare demon; medieval demonology, as in the 'Malleus Maleficarum' of 1486, gave it lurid detail.
- Stage 3 · English · 1200s incubus "demon; burden", also figuratively a crushing burden.