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δαίμων

Etymology and origin of the Ancient Greek word δαίμων

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Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Homer, Iliad
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*deh₂y-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (5th-century BC Attic): /dǎi̯.mɔːn/[1]
  • IPA (4th-century AD Koine): /ˈðɛ.mon/[1]
  • IPA (10th-century Byzantine): /ˈðe.mon/[1]

Forms

δαίμων (daímōn) m or f (genitive δαίμονος); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from δαίομαι (daíomai, “to divide, apportion”) with the suffix -μων (-mōn), probably meaning “one who apportions”, from Indo-European Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- (“to share, divide”).[2][3][1][4] The same development is seen in Old Persian baga- (“god”) and Old Church Slavonic богъ (bogŭ, “god”) beside Avestan baga- (baga-, “share”) and Sanskrit भग (bhága, “share; dispenser, lord”), from भजति (bhájati, “divides”).[2][3] Porzig's view that it meant “one who tears apart, devours (corpses)” is rejected.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Homer uses it from the first book of the Iliad (1.222) for gods, but more often for the divine power at work in events, the will of heaven, while θεός is a god in person.[5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

It was also fortune and fate, sometimes arbitrary, and a person's own lot (the Odyssey, Hesiod, Pindar, tragedy).[7] Empedocles calls Love and Strife δαίμονες.[6] It also meant a guardian spirit, like Latin genius, and a departed soul.[1] In ecclesiastical and biblical Greek it is a demon, an evil spirit.[1]

Its derivatives include δαιμόνιος (daimónios) “sent by a god, wondrous”, used as an address (δαιμόνιε), and δαιμόνιον (daimónion) “divine power”.[2] Medieval Greek kept the word,[8] and the modern form is δαίμονας.[9] English daimon (1852) is a transliteration used to avoid the later sense of demon.[10]

Timeline

  • Homer – The Iliad uses it for a god and for divine power.[5][6]
  • Before the 6th century BC – Hesiod uses it for fate.[7][4]
  • 5th century BC – Empedocles calls Love and Strife δαίμονες.[6][4]
  • Biblical – It means an evil spirit.[1]
  • 1852 – English daimon is recorded.[10]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A god, goddess.[6][7]
  2. The divine power, the will of heaven.[6][7]
  3. Fate, fortune, destiny; one's lot.[7][1]
  4. A guardian spirit.[1]
  5. A departed soul.[1]
  6. (biblical, ecclesiastical) A demon, evil spirit.[1]

Word family

  • δαιμόνιος (daimónios)
  • δεισιδαίμων (deisidaímōn)
  • εὐδαίμων (eudaímōn)
  • ἰσοδαίμων (isodaímōn)
  • κακοδαίμων (kakodaímōn)
  • English demon
  • English daimon

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Beekes, Robert S. P. (2010), Etymological Dictionary of Greek, with the assistance of Lucien van Beek, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 10, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c Frisk, Hjalmar (1960–1972), Griechisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, 3 vols, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
  4. ^ a b c Rodríguez Adrados, Francisco, et al., eds. (1980–), Diccionario Griego-Español, Madrid: CSIC, http://dge.cchs.csic.es/xdge
  5. ^ a b Keersmaekers, Alek (2021–2025), GLAUx: The Greek Language Automated corpus, https://github.com/alekkeersmaekers/glaux
  6. ^ a b c d e f Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert; Jones, Henry Stuart (1940), A Greek-English Lexicon, 9th ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d e f Diggle, James, et al., eds. (2021), The Cambridge Greek Lexicon, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  8. ^ Kriaras, Emmanuel, Επιτομή του Λεξικού της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας 1100–1669, Κέντρο Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, https://www.greek-language.gr
  9. ^ Πάπυρος–Larousse–Britannica, Μέγα Λεξικό της Ελληνικής Γλώσσας, Athens: Πάπυρος
  10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Δαίμων.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/grc/%CE%B4%CE%B1%CE%AF%CE%BC%CF%89%CE%BD. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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