Where does “demon” come from?
demon (Middle English) comes from Medieval Latin demon, from Ancient Greek δαίμων, from Ancient Greek δαίω, from Proto-Indo-European deh₂y-, from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- — to share, divide.
demon (Middle English): demon, devil, malicious spirit; daimon, helpful...
Definitions
- demon, devil, malicious spirit; daimon, helpful...
Ancestry of “demon”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Medieval Latin | demon | accusative singular of dēmos; spirit |
| 2 | Ancient Greek | δαίμων | god, goddess; departed soul; demon, evil spirit |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | δαίω | to light up, to kindle, to set on fire; to burn... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂y- | to share, divide |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |
Words derived from “demon”