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.
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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
-
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
Ms. Indiana’s descriptions are clipped and sardonic, fitting for the perspective of a demon who has seen every vice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 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
Having the event in November will allow people to go all-out, said his performance partner Krizel Guiral, or "Zhel", dressed as Youko Kurama, the red-headed fox demon from the same Japanese manga and anime classic.
From Barron's ● Aug. 1, 2026
But even in despair, I would never listen to a demon.
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
“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
“By this, and similar reasoning, they have arrived “at the sweeping conclusion they were to demon- “strate, to wit, that, that which is pleasing to the “pope is always lawful to him.
From The Power Of The Popes by Pierre Claude Fran?ois Daunou
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
By the substitution of Truth demon- strated, Science remedies the ills of material beliefs.
From Miscellaneous Writings, 1883-1896 by Mary Baker Eddy
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
He’s also been talking up his belief in demons and drawing attention to how he pushed his wife out of her job as a high-powered lawyer so she could have a fourth baby instead.
From Salon ● Jun. 26, 2026
As Ms. Fletcher observes, such images suggest that guns were no longer perceived as “the weapon of demons, but of angels.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
Then, 12 years later, Bosnia overcame their play-off demons by beating Wales and then Italy on penalties having trailed to both.
From BBC ● Jun. 12, 2026
He tried to make his way toward Annabeth, but she was just out of reach, calling his name as she wandered among the demons.
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
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.
