incubus
Low FrequencyFormal/Literary
Definition
Meaning
A male demon believed in medieval folklore to lie on sleeping people, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them.
A cause of distress, anxiety, or burden; a person or thing that oppresses or burdens like a nightmare.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word retains a strong connection to its mythological origin but is used more commonly in a metaphorical sense to describe oppressive burdens or anxieties. It is often used in political, historical, or psychological contexts to describe persistent, oppressive situations.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or pronunciation differences. Slight variation in the contexts of usage; more likely to appear in historical or literary contexts in British English, while American English may use it more readily in modern political or social commentary.
Connotations
Equally strong connotations of oppression, nightmare, and medieval superstition in both variants. The mythological sense is primary, but the metaphorical sense is standard.
Frequency
Very low frequency in everyday speech in both regions. More likely encountered in writing, particularly in historical, literary, or analytical texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
the incubus of (debt/guilt/fear)an incubus (on the nation/on his mind)like an incubusVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A constant incubus on the mind/soul.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used metaphorically for a persistent financial burden or debt, e.g., 'The incubus of the company's legacy debt stifled innovation.'
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or psychological analysis to describe oppressive forces, e.g., 'The study examines the incubus of colonialism on the national psyche.'
Everyday
Rare. Might be used humorously or hyperbolically for a persistent annoyance, e.g., 'This unresolved issue is becoming a real incubus.'
Technical
In mythology, folklore, and demonology, refers specifically to the male demon. In psychiatry, may be used descriptively for nightmare disorders with a sensation of pressure.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- (Not standard; archaic or non-existent. The verb form is 'incubate', which has a different meaning.)
American English
- (Not standard; archaic or non-existent. The verb form is 'incubate', which has a different meaning.)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard.)
American English
- (Not standard.)
adjective
British English
- (Not standard. The related adjective is 'incubal' or 'incubous', both extremely rare and technical.)
American English
- (Not standard. The related adjective is 'incubal' or 'incubous', both extremely rare and technical.)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Too complex for A2. Not applicable.)
- The constant worry was like an incubus he could not escape.
- In the old story, an evil incubus visited people at night.
- The country struggled for decades under the incubus of the dictator's legacy.
- He felt the incubus of his past mistakes weighing heavily on his conscience.
- The financial crisis of 2008 left an incubus of debt that plagued the European economy for years.
- In her thesis, she analysed the novel's protagonist as a psychological incubus, symbolising the protagonist's repressed guilt.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: "IN-CUB" - a demon that "cubs" or lies on you in bed. Link it to 'incubate' – something that sits on and develops, but here it's a bad thing.
Conceptual Metaphor
A BURDEN/ANXIETY IS A DEMON ON ONE'S CHEST. PERSISTENT PROBLEMS ARE NIGHTMARES.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'инкубатор' (incubator).
- The Russian mythological equivalent is often 'домовой' or 'кикимора', but these are house spirits, not specifically sexual demons. A closer concept is 'бес' or 'кошмар'.
- The metaphorical use is closer to 'груз' (burden) or 'кошмар' (nightmare).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'incubous' or 'incubis'.
- Confusing it with 'succubus' (the female demon).
- Using it to mean a regular nightmare without the connotation of oppression or burden.
- Using it as a synonym for a simple problem, which is too weak.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the PRIMARY, original meaning of 'incubus'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The female counterpart is a 'succubus', a demon believed to seduce men in their sleep.
Yes, but almost exclusively in formal, literary, or metaphorical contexts. It is not a word for everyday conversation.
Not exactly a simple bad dream. It implies a specific sensation of weight or oppression, like a nightmare where one feels pinned down, or a persistent, burdensome worry.
All incubi are demons, but not all demons are incubi. 'Incubus' specifies a type of demon from European folklore with a particular modus operandi (nocturnal visit and oppression). 'Demon' is a much broader category.