Meaning & Origin
“Speak of the devil” is a light, playful phrase used when someone shows up right after being mentioned — as if talking about them summoned them. Earlier English forms referred to the taboo of naming the devil; over time it became a friendly remark about coincidence.
Pronunciation Guide
- speak — long “ee,” like “peek.”
- of the — often reduced to “uhv thuh.”
- devil — DEV‑il; short “e.”
- Natural rhythm: SPEAK of the DEV‑il.
Usage & Sentence Examples
Use it when the person you were discussing suddenly appears, messages, or calls.
- Speak of the devil — Maya just joined the Zoom.
- We were talking about the roadmap and, speak of the devil, the PM pinged us.
- Speak of the devil — there’s the delivery we were waiting for.
- Oh, speak of the devil! I was just emailing you.
- We mentioned the bug and, speak of the devil, a fresh report came in.
- Speak of the devil — our guest has arrived.
Synonyms
look who it is · talk of the town (loosely) · what a coincidence · right on cue · as if on cue
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