demon English · revision 10250

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=la daemon|origins=grc δαίμων}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdiː.mən/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English, [[bor|la|daemon|t=spirit]], in Late Latin daemōn, dēmōn, an evil spirit,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from Greek [[m|grc|δαίμων|tr=daímōn|t=deity, divine power, lesser god, guiding spirit]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) probably originally one who distributes destinies, related to [[m|grc|δαίεσθαι|tr=daíesthai|t=to divide, allot]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from PIE *da-, to divide.^(Etymonline) In the evil sense it also represents Latin daemonium, Greek daimónion.^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ An evil spirit, a devil: about 1200, probably in Layamon's ''Brut''.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Greek daimones were not evil:^(Cresswell 2021) the malignant sense comes from the use of the word, with daimonion, in Christian translations and the Septuagint for the gods of the heathens.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021) An attendant or indwelling spirit, a genius, is from 1387,^(OED 1989) and a supernatural being of Greek mythology between gods and men from 1569.^(OED 1989) Applied to a cruel or malignant person it is from 1614,^(OED 1989) to an evil passion such as drink from 1712,^(OED 1989) and to someone of extraordinary energy or skill, ''a demon for work'', from 1876.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – an evil spirit.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1387 – an attendant spirit.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1569 – a Greek divinity.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1614 – a cruel person.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1712 – an evil passion.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1876 – a person of great energy.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An evil supernatural being; a [[devil]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person, habit or obsession that is cruel or persistently tormenting.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A person who is extremely skilful, energetic or zealous.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An attendant spirit or [[genius]], also spelled daemon; in Greek religion, a lesser deity.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[demonian]]

+ * [[demonization]]

+ * [[demonic]]

+ * [[demonism]]

+ * [[demonize]]

+ * [[demonography]]

+ * [[demonology]]

+ * [[speed demon]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cacodemon]]

+ * [[demoniac]]

+ * [[demonolater]]

+ * [[demonolatry]]

+ * [[eudemon]]

+ * [[daemon]]

+ * [[pandemonium]]

+ * [[devil]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In Australian slang of the late 19th century, a demon was a police officer or detective, apparently from Van Diemen's Land, the old name of Tasmania.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}