Date
Meaning & History
Meaning uncertain. It might be based on Hebrew מֵפִיץ (mefitz) "scatterer, disperser" and טָפַל (tafal) "liar", or on Greek μή (me) "not", φῶς (phos) "light" and φίλος (philos) "friend, lover". Many other etymologies have been proposed. In a German legend, notably retold by Goethe, this is the name of a demon who makes a deal with Faust to exchange his soul for magical powers.