noun
Common
demon
DEE-muhn
Demon (noun) means an evil supernatural being, often associated with hell or wickedness. Example: “The story tells of a demon that lived beneath the castle.”
noun
1
An evil supernatural being, often associated with hell or wickedness.
"The story tells of a demon that lived beneath the castle."
"In the film, a priest tries to cast the demon out of the old house."
"Folklore across many cultures describes demons tempting people into wrongdoing."
2
A destructive habit, feeling, or personal struggle, especially one someone battles internally.
"He went to therapy to face his demons after the loss."
"He finally confronted the demons of his addiction."
"Years later, she was still fighting the demons from that difficult childhood."
3
Someone with remarkable skill, energy, or intensity at an activity.
"My sister is a demon on the dance floor."
"He's an absolute demon on the tennis court."
"She's a demon for detail when editing manuscripts."
How to use demon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA frightening evil spirit — or, more loosely, an inner struggle or someone who's fiercely good at something.
Common mistake
The word originally meant a neutral or even helpful spirit in ancient Greek thought; the "evil being" sense developed later through religious use.
Common pairings
inner demons
fight your demons
speed demon
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Word forms
- Plural
- demons
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The story tells of a _____ that lived beneath the castle.
Etymology
From Medieval Latin dēmōn, borrowed from Ancient Greek daímōn, originally meaning a protective or guiding spirit rather than something evil.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for demon
See all rhymes for demon →Frequently asked questions
What does “demon” mean?
The word “demon” means an evil supernatural being, often associated with hell or wickedness. In plain terms, a frightening evil spirit — or, more loosely, an inner struggle or someone who's fiercely good at something.
How do you pronounce “demon”?
“Demon” is pronounced DEE-muhn (/ˈdiː.mən/ in IPA).
How do you use “demon” in a sentence?
Here is “demon” used in a sentence: “In the film, a priest tries to cast the demon out of the old house.”
What is another word for “demon”?
Words with a similar meaning to “demon” include genius, tutelary deity, barghest, bogie, bogeyman and boggard.
What part of speech is “demon”?
“Demon” is a noun.
Where does the word “demon” come from?
The word “demon” comes from Ancient Greek. From Medieval Latin dēmōn, borrowed from Ancient Greek daímōn, originally meaning a protective or guiding spirit rather than something evil.
Is “demon” a common word?
“Demon” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “demon” have?
“Demon” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an evil supernatural being, often associated with hell or wickedness.
What is the difference between a demon and a devil?
In everyday English the words overlap: both name an evil supernatural being. Demon is the general term for any such spirit, while devil often points to a chief evil power — especially "the Devil" with a capital D in Christian tradition. Informally, devil can also be affectionate, as in "you little devil," in a way demon usually is not.
What is the difference between demon and daemon?
A demon is an evil supernatural being. Daemon is an older spelling used in classical and literary contexts, where it can mean a guiding spirit rather than an evil one, and in computing it names a background program that runs without direct user control — so a mail daemon on a server is nothing sinister.
Is calling someone a demon always an insult?
No. Applied to people, demon often praises remarkable skill, energy, or intensity, as in "a demon bowler" or "she's a demon at chess." Compounds like "speed demon" carry the same admiring, if slightly wry, tone.
