Incubus

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈɪŋ.kjÊŠ.bÉ™s/, /ˈɪn.kjÉ™.bÉ™s/
• Homophones: incubous

Origin

From Late Latin incubus, from Latin incubo ("nightmare, one who lies down on the sleeper"), from incubāre ("to lie upon, to hatch"), from in- ("on") + cubāre ("to lie").

Full definition of incubus

Noun

1. An evil spirit supposed to oppress people while asleep, especially to have sex with women as they sleep.
2. A feeling of oppression during sleep, sleep paralysis; night terrors, a nightmare.
• 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, vol. I, New York 2001, p. 249:it increaseth fearful dreams, incubus, night-walking, crying out, and much unquietness ....
3. Any oppressive thing or person; a burden.
• 2002, Colin Jones, The Great Nation, Penguin 2003, p. 132-3:Notions of civic virtue were at that moment changing, in ways which would make of Louis's alleged vices an incubus on the back of the monarchy.
4. One of various of parasitic insects, especially

Synonyms

• (a nightmare) nightmare

Hypernyms

• (an evil spirit) evil spirit, spirit