English
demon
Demon comes from Medieval Latin dēmōn ‘lar, familiar spirit, guardian spirit’, from Ancient Greek δαίομαι ‘to divide’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-‘to share, to divide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίομαιdaíomai‘to divide’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδαίμωνdaímōn‘dispenser, god, protective spirit’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500dēmōn‘lar, familiar spirit, guardian spirit’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demon‘demon, devil, malicious spirit’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606–1607demon
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-‘to share, to divide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίομαιdaíomai‘to divide’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδαίμωνdaímōn‘dispenser, god, protective spirit’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500dēmōn‘lar, familiar spirit, guardian spirit’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demon‘demon, devil, malicious spirit’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1606–1607demon
Earliest quotation: c. 1606–1607, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra: “Oh Anthony […] Thy Dæmon that thy spirit which…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to share, to divide’
time, till, til, tide, tease, tass, 24 more
through Ancient Greek δαίμων ‘dispenser, god, protective spirit’
Today it means
noun An evil being resident in or working for Hell; a devil.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- / demon