demoniac

[dih-moh-nee-ak, dee-muh-nahy-ak]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR demoniac ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Also de·mo·ni·a·cal [dee-muh-nahy-uh-kuhl] /ˌdi məˈnaɪ ə kəl/.

of, relating to, or like a demon; demonic: demoniac laughter.

possessed by or as by an evil spirit; raging; frantic.

noun

a person seemingly possessed by a demon or evil spirit.

Origin of demoniac

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin daemoniacus < Greek daimoniakós, equivalent to daimóni(os) pertaining to a daemon + -akos -ac

Related formsde·mo·ni·a·cal·ly

[dee-muh-nahy-ik-lee] /ˌdi məˈnaɪ ɪk li/, adverb

Antonyms for demoniac

1. angelic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for demoniac

unrelenting, barbarous, murderous, ruthless, atrocious, inhuman, brutal, bloody, fierce, violent, cold-blooded, sadistic, ferocious, destructive, relentless, merciless, harsh, inhumane, savage, crazy

Examples from the Web for demoniac

Historical Examples of demoniac

It was with the greatest difficulty that I was delivered from the clutches of this demoniac.
My Double Life
Sarah Bernhardt
Martha Brossier, daughter of a weaver at Romorantin, was shown as a demoniac, in 1578.
The Phantom World
Augustin Calmet
But the path of these demoniac men was marked by the ravages of fiends.
Ferdinand De Soto, The Discoverer of the Mississippi
John S. C. Abbott
It looked a demoniac place, a smoke-wreathed platform in some Inferno circle.
The Long Roll
Mary Johnston
A great, black, cylindrical shell came with a demoniac shriek.
The Long Roll
Mary Johnston

British Dictionary definitions for demoniac

demoniac

adjective also: demoniacal (ˌdiːməˈnaɪəkəl)

of, like, or suggestive of a demon; demonic

suggesting inner possession or inspirationthe demoniac fire of genius

frantic; frenzied; feverishdemoniac activity

noun

a person possessed by an evil spirit or demon

Derived Formsdemoniacally, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for demoniac

adj.

c.1400, "possessed, insane," earlier (late 14c.) as a noun, "one who is possessed," from Late Latin daemoniacus (c.200), from Greek daimoniakos "possessed by a demon," from diamon (see demon).