demon

¹

[dee-muhn]

noun

1. an evil spirit; devil or fiend.

2. an evil passion or influence.

3. a person considered extremely wicked, evil, or cruel.

4. a person with great energy, drive, etc..

   He's a demon for work.

5. a person, especially a child, who is very mischievous.

   His younger son is a real little demon.

6. daemon.

7. Australian Slang.,  a policeman, especially a detective.

adjective

1. of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or noting a demon.

2. possessed or controlled by a demon.

demon-

²

1. variant of demono- before a vowel.

   demonism.

demon

/ ˈdiːmən /

noun

1. an evil spirit or devil

2. a person, habit, obsession, etc, thought of as evil, cruel, or persistently tormenting

3. Also called: daemon.  daimon. an attendant or ministering spirit; genius

   the demon of inspiration

4. 1. a person who is extremely skilful in, energetic at, or devoted to a given activity, esp a sport

      a demon at cycling

   2. ( as modifier )

      a demon cyclist

5. a variant spelling of daemon

6. informal,  a detective or policeman

7. 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of demon¹

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; daemon

Word History and Origins

Origin of demon¹

C15: from Latin daemōn evil spirit, spirit, from Greek daimōn spirit, deity, fate; see _daemon

Example Sentences

Dazzling visual effects permeate the latest movie featuring acrobatic, lightning-fast battles with demons at a kaleidoscopic castle with an infinite array of floors.

Read more on Barron's

Lilliput Church of England Infant School in Poole, Dorset, sent a message to parents on Friday saying some members of the community are "deeply uncomfortable" with references to demons.

Read more on BBC

It featured a young couple terrorized by a demon in their new home, and was seemingly cut together out of footage the husband filmed on a camcorder in the house.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At once fearful and fascinated by him, Aggie makes him the subject of her next book in a bid to chase down his demons while evading her own.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Kadens’s pitch to the 33 students taking his weekly “Mastering Wealth” class: Affluence isn’t just for privileged people, but for anyone willing to take big risks and work like a demon.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• fiend 
• malignant spirit www.thesaurus.com
• monster 
• vampire 
• villain 

When To Use

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.