proverb · Words worth keeping
Talk of the devil and he'll be sure to appear.
Talk of the devil and he'll be sure to appear.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The phrase marks the coincidence of someone arriving just as they are being discussed. Its devil image is a playful figure of speech in this use, not evidence of supernatural causation or a judgement that the arriving person is wicked.
Example
Two organisers are wondering whether their colleague has the exhibition keys when that colleague enters carrying them, and one warmly remarks on the coincidence.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying creates a moment of recognition when conversation and arrival happen together. In an everyday figurative use, the person being mentioned walks into the room or makes contact at just that point. The speaker highlights the coincidence rather than explaining why it occurred. Its emphatic wording should not be taken as a claim that mentioning someone summons them, or that such timing will always happen. The devil label can also sound unkind outside a familiar, friendly exchange. A useful reading keeps the joke light and avoids attaching a moral accusation to the person whose arrival happened to match the conversation.
When to use it
Use it lightly when someone arrives or contacts you just as they are being mentioned.
Keep in mind
Keep the joke welcome; it neither establishes supernatural influence nor labels someone’s character.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English