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.
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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
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( 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.
See Examples For:
In the first “Furious” episode, she explains how Medusa, the snake-haired demon who turns men to stone, got that way.
From Salon ● Sep. 3, 2026
“If I dont get it refunded I will not be able to purchase tickets to the actual ‘K pop demon hunters show,’” the email read.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
"You will see a change in behaviour... a different consciousness. Something else takes over a person," Syquia said, noting he had personally exorcised a demon only a week earlier.
From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026
But to put the healthcare demon in context: According to federal government data, average annual healthcare costs for those over 65 are currently less than $8,000 a year per person.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 17, 2026
The Soul-Eaters had conjured a demon from the Otherworld; they had loosed a monster on the Forest.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
“Supernatural,” the demon- and monster-hunting drama that will not die, is back for the 13th season.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2017
Kyle Green of Wasilla got $49,300 to build a demon- stration solar house suitable for northern latitudes.
From Time Magazine Archive
Good must dominate in the thoughts of the healer, or his demon- stration is protracted, dangerous, and impossible in Sci- 446:18 ence.
From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
The Science of Mind corrects such mistakes, for Truth demon- strates the falsity of error.
From Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy
By the substitution of Truth demon- strated, Science remedies the ills of material beliefs.
From Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896 by Mary Baker Eddy
What these ecstatic works signify—and whether they depict angels or demons, predators or prey, creators or destroyers—remains elusive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Meloni is a comedy king, the best part of “Wet Hot American Summer,” while Hargitay earned a laugh with a clip of her early work in “Ghoulies,” a schlocky horror movie about toilet demons.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
The resulting movie, which opens in US theaters on Friday, promises to take audiences into the Further -- and bring back the demons who live there.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
Dan Sullivan — and, no, it’s not about a candidate living a double life or wrestling demons within himself.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
But more than anything, she needed to know what all of these demons were doing in her theater.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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.
