Definition of INCUBUS

incubus

Plural: incubi, incubuses

Noun

  • A male demon believed to lie on sleepers; a nightmare.
  • a male demon believed to lie on sleeping persons and to have sexual intercourse with sleeping women
  • a situation resembling a terrifying dream
  • someone who depresses or worries others
  • An evil spirit supposed to oppress people while asleep, especially to have sex with women as they sleep.
  • A feeling of oppression during sleep, sleep paralysis; night terrors, a nightmare.
  • Any oppressive thing or person; a burden.
  • One of various of parasitic insects, especially subfamily Aphidiinae.

Examples

  • That Q without a U tile became an incubus on his Scrabble rack.

Origin / Etymology

From Late Latin incubus, from Latin incubō (“nightmare, one who lies down on the sleeper”), from incubō (“to lie upon, to hatch”, from in- (“on”) + cubō (“to lie down”)).

Synonyms

nightmare

Scrabble Score: 11

incubus: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
incubus: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
incubus: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

incubus: valid Words With Friends Word