demon
noun
an evil spirit; devil or fiend.
demon
1 American
[dee-muhn]
/ ˈdi mən /
noun
demons
plural
-
an evil spirit; devil or fiend.
-
an evil passion or influence.
-
a person considered extremely wicked, evil, or cruel.
-
a person with great energy, drive, etc..
He's a demon for work.
-
a person, especially a child, who is very mischievous.
His younger son is a real little demon.
-
Australian Slang. a policeman, especially a detective.
adjective
-
of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or noting a demon.
-
possessed or controlled by a demon.
demon-
2
American
demon
British
/ ˈdiːmən /
noun
-
an evil spirit or devil
-
a person, habit, obsession, etc, thought of as evil, cruel, or persistently tormenting
-
Also called: daemon. daimon. an attendant or ministering spirit; genius
the demon of inspiration
-
-
a person who is extremely skilful in, energetic at, or devoted to a given activity, esp a sport
a demon at cycling
-
( as modifier )
a demon cyclist
-
-
a variant spelling of daemon
-
informal a detective or policeman
-
computing a part of a computer program, such as a help facility, that can run in the background behind the current task or application, and which will only begin to work when certain conditions are met or when it is specifically invoked
Usage
What does demon- mean? Demon- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “demon.” It is used in a few technical terms, especially in theology. Demon- comes from the Greek daimónion, meaning “thing of divine nature” and ultimate source of the English word demon. Among Jewish and Christian writers, daimónion was used to mean “evil spirit.”Demon- is a variant of demono-, which loses its -o- when combined with words or word elements beginning with vowels. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use demono- article.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of demon
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin daemonium < Greek daimónion, thing of divine nature (in Jewish and Christian writers, evil spirit), neuter of daimónios, derivative of daímōn; demon ( def. 6 ) < Latin; see daemon
Explanation
A demon is an evil, mythical monster or spirit. Stories about demons are featured in a variety of different religious traditions. You might come across a demon in a supernatural fairy tale, or even in the Christian Bible. Demons are often interchangeable with devils, and both words are sometimes used to talk about a cruel, fiendish person. If you're extremely good at something, you also might be described as a demon: "She's a demon at bowling." The Greek root, daimon, doesn't have the same negative connotations — it means "spirit or deity."
Vocabulary lists containing demon
The House of Hades
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"Making Faces"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
From Orange County classrooms to the Oscars, writer Danya Jimenez — and her best friend and co-writer, Hannah McMechan — recount the journey to their hit animated film, ‘KPop Demon Hunters’
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
There are K-Pop Demon Hunters-themed skincare packs for a "glow-boosting routine" for "skin that looks luminous".
From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026
Bender said Kohl’s plans to launch new “KPop Demon Hunters” toys and push more novelty Lego sets.
From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026
Netflix said that its toy business has grown “significantly” over the last year, with lines based off of the television show Stranger Things and the animated film KPop Demon Hunters.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
The favor is overwhelmingly on the Demon Brigade’s side.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
