daemon

IPA/ˈdiːmən/
KK[dˈimən]IPA/ˈdiːmən/

daemon — noun

  • daemonsingular
  • daemonsplural

1. In ancient Greek mythology, a being with both divine and mortal qualities, somet

1.nounB2
Definition

In ancient Greek mythology, a being with both divine and mortal qualities, sometimes serving as a personal guide or protective spirit for a person or place.

Example

According to ancient Greek myths, the daemon of the river helped sailors during dangerous storms.

daemon as a localised nature spirit in myths

The philosopher Socrates believed he had a personal daemon that warned him against bad choices.

daemon as a personal guiding spirit in philosophy

Common collocations
  • personal daemon
  • daemon of the river / forest / mountain
  • guardian daemon
  • ancient daemon
  • daemon spoke to / warned / guided
Synonyms
  • spirit

    much broader term for any non-physical being, not limited to Greek mythology

  • demigod

    refers to a specific figure who is half god and half human (e.g. Heracles), not a general class of spirit-beings

  • guardian spirit

    emphasises the protective function, but comes from broader folk traditions rather than specifically Greek mythology

Usage Note

In modern English, the spelling 'daemon' is often used to refer specifically to the ancient Greek concept of a neutral or benevolent spirit-being, while 'demon' nearly always means an evil spirit. The variant spelling 'daimon' is also common in scholarly writing.

Common Mistakes

She drew a picture of a daemon with horns and a tail.
She drew a picture of a demon with horns and a tail.
In modern English, 'daemon' refers to the Greek concept of a spirit-being, while 'demon' means an evil spirit from religious or folk tradition.

2. An evil spirit or supernatural creature believed to cause harm, bad luck, or fea

2.nounB1
Definition

An evil spirit or supernatural creature believed to cause harm, bad luck, or fear.

Example

The villagers believed a daemon haunted the abandoned castle on the hill.

daemon haunting a location

Tamás woke up certain that a daemon stood in the corner of his dark room.

Common collocations
  • evil daemon
  • daemon haunted / lurked / guarded
  • keep daemons away / out
  • ancient daemon
  • daemon of the night
Synonyms
  • demon

    the standard modern spelling; far more common in contemporary English

  • devil

    often implies a specific evil figure (Satan) or a lesser evil spirit in Christian tradition; stronger religious connotation

  • fiend

    suggests a cruel or wicked person or creature; less mythological, more literary

Antonyms
  • angel

    a benevolent heavenly messenger, opposite of an evil spirit in religious traditions

Usage Note

The spelling 'daemon' for an evil spirit is archaic or literary; the standard modern spelling is 'demon'. This sense appears mainly in older texts, fantasy fiction, or translations of ancient writings where the evil meaning is intended.

Common Mistakes

The software uses a daemon to manage background tasks.
The software uses a daemon process to manage background tasks.
In computing, 'daemon' (pronounced DEE-mən) refers to a background program, not a spirit. This is a separate technical usage not covered here.

Word family

  • daemonic
    adjectiveC2
  • daimon
    nounC2
  • demon
    nounB1
  • demonic
    adjectiveB2
  • demonically
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms describe beings beyond ordinary human experience, but they differ in scope and cultural origin. 'Spirit' is the broadest — it can refer to ghosts, souls, nature beings, or supernatural entities from any tradition. 'Demigod' names a specific figure who is the child of a god and a mortal (Heracles, Perseus), whereas a Greek daemon is a general class of being, not a named hero. 'Guardian spirit' emphasises a protective role and appears across many cultures, but lacks the specific Greek mythological context of daemon. 'Divinity' implies a full god worthy of worship, a status above the intermediate rank of a daemon. In practice, writers choose 'daemon' when they want the precise Greek meaning — a being between god and human, often tied to a place or person — while 'spirit' works for any vague supernatural presence.

spirit ↗demigod ↗guardian spiritdivinity ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • daemon + haunted / guarded / warned
  • daemon + lurked / spoke

Phrases

  • personal daemon
  • evil daemon
  • ancient daemon
  • guardian daemon

Prepositions

  • daemon of

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word 'daemon' comes from Latin 'daemon' (spirit, evil spirit), which was borrowed from Greek 'δαίμων' (daimōn), meaning a divine power, spirit, or lesser god. In ancient Greek culture, a daimōn was any supernatural being whose rank fell between mortals and the Olympian gods — it could be benevolent, neutral, or malevolent. When Christianity spread across Europe, the Greek word was adopted into Latin and later English with an exclusively evil meaning ('demon'). The 'ae' spelling (daemon) was revived in the 19th and 20th centuries by scholars and fantasy writers who wanted to distinguish the original Greek concept from the later Christian 'demon'.