English Explanatory Dictionary

demon

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An evil supernatural being.
  2. An evil being resident in or working for Hell; a devil.
  3. A false god or idol; a Satanic divinity.
  4. A very wicked or malevolent person; also (in weakened sense) a mischievous person, especially a child.
  5. A source (especially personified) of great evil or wickedness; a destructive feeling or character flaw.
  6. A person's fears or anxieties.
  7. A neutral supernatural being.
  8. A person's inner spirit or genius; a guiding or creative impulse.
  9. A tutelary deity or spirit intermediate between the major Olympian gods and mankind, especially a deified hero or the entity which supposedly guided Socrates, telling him what not to do.
  10. A supernatural being not considered to be inherently evil; a (non-Christian) deity.
  11. A hypothetical entity with special abilities postulated for the sake of a thought experiment in philosophy or physics.
  12. Someone with great strength, passion or skill for a particular activity, pursuit etc.; an enthusiast.
noun
  1. Acronym of distinct electron motion particle: a quasiparticle, a type of massless neutral electron excitation associated with superconductivity.
noun
  1. Alternative spelling of daemon.
noun
  1. Alternative letter-case form of demon (“card game”).
name
  1. A male given name from Ancient Greek.

Pronunciation

/ˈdiː.mən/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-demon.wav

Word forms

demon demons daimon daemon dæmon

Etymology

From Middle English demon, a borrowing from Medieval Latin dēmōn, daemōn (“lar, familiar spirit, guardian spirit”), from Ancient Greek δαίμων (daímōn, “dispenser, god, protective spirit”). Displaced native Old English sċucca and Old English þyrs. Doublet of daimon.

Synonyms

genius tutelary deity barghest bogie bogeyman boggard bogle cacodemon daeva devil evil genius fiend flibbertigibbet ghoul goblin imp kobold nis spook troll DEMon Pines' Demon Pines Demon Pines's demon

Related words

agathodemon antidemonic archdemon cacodemon counterdemonic demonagogue Demon core demon dialing demoness demonette demonhood demoniacally demoniac demoniacal demonianism demonian demonically demonic demonical demonifuge demonify demonish demonism demonist demonization demonize demonkin demonkind demonlike demonlore demonly demonocracy demonographer demonography demonolater demonolatry demonology demonomagy demonomancy demonomania demonomaniac demonomist demonomy demonopathy demonophobia demonry demonship eudemon half-demon Maxwell's demon nasal demon speed demon electron exciton magnon phason phonon plasmon

Derived words

bedemon confront one's demons dedemonization demonagogue demon catshark demon core Demoncrat demon dialing demon duck of doom demoness demonette demon face syndrome demon hunter demon-hunter demonic demonical demonify demonisation demonise demonish demonism demonist demonize demonkin demonkind demonless demonlike demonlore demonocracy demonography demonolatory demonology demonomachy demonomancy demonomaniac demonomist demonopathy Demonrat demonship demonslayer demonspawn face one's demons fur demon half-demon Laplace's demon like a demon nasal demon nondemon restricted demon semen demon she-demon speed demon
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