speak of the devil
- 1Said when a person who has just been mentioned in conversation happens to appear at that moment.
Speak of the devil, here's the very man we were just discussing.
I had barely finished my story about Dana when, speak of the devil, she came through the door.
Use it in a sentence
Write your own sentence with speak of the devil, and AI will tell you whether it fits and which meaning you used.
Origin
This is a shortened form of "speak of the devil and he shall appear," which can be traced back to "talk of the Devil, and he's presently at your elbow," attested in 1666. The idea behind it (that mentioning a dangerous creature may cause it to appear) is found in many cultures around the world.