demon-
1 Americannoun
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an evil spirit; devil or fiend.
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an evil passion or influence.
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a person considered extremely wicked, evil, or cruel.
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a person with great energy, drive, etc..
He's a demon for work.
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a person, especially a child, who is very mischievous.
His younger son is a real little demon.
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Australian Slang. a policeman, especially a detective.
adjective
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of, pertaining to, characteristic of, or noting a demon.
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possessed or controlled by a demon.
noun
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an evil spirit or devil
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a person, habit, obsession, etc, thought of as evil, cruel, or persistently tormenting
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Also called: daemon. daimon. an attendant or ministering spirit; genius
the demon of inspiration
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a person who is extremely skilful in, energetic at, or devoted to a given activity, esp a sport
a demon at cycling
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( as modifier )
a demon cyclist
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a variant spelling of daemon
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informal a detective or policeman
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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.
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; daemon
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.
The 28-year-old has been haunted by a comment he made as he struggled in a game against the Patriots in 2019, when he said "I'm seeing ghosts", but Darnold has now exorcised those demons.
From BBC
No one else on the gridiron was big enough or fast enough to guard a 6-foot-5 speed demon whose leaps defied gravity.
The area was once viewed as ominous, dominated by an ancient walnut tree believed to be infested with demons and marking the supposed burial place of Emperor Nero.
From Science Daily
Along the right sideline, the Rams had left wide receiver and resident speed demon Rashid Shaheed in single coverage.
The modern West tried to exorcise these demons.
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.
