English
demoniac
Demoniac comes from Old French demoniaque ‘demonic’, from Ancient Greek δαίμων ‘divine power’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to share, to divide’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-‘to share, to divide’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίομαιdaíomai‘to divide’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδαίμων‘divine power’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδαιμονιακός‘demonic, devilish’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdaemoniacus‘demonic, devilish’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400demoniaque‘demonic’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demoniak
- Englishearliest quotation 1827demoniac
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
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 BCEδαίμων‘divine power’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEδαιμονιακός‘demonic, devilish’
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEdaemoniacus‘demonic, devilish’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400demoniaque‘demonic’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500demoniak
- Englishearliest quotation 1827demoniac
Earliest quotation: 1827, Lydia Huntley Sigourney, Poems: “How dark may be the hiding of God's face,…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to share, to divide’
time, till, til, tide, tease, tass, 24 more
through Ancient Greek δαίμων ‘divine power’
Today it means
adj Possessed or controlled by a demon.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- / demoniac