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Webster 1913 Edition


Demon

De′mon

,
Noun.
[F.
démon
, L.
daemon
a spirit, an evil spirit, fr. Gr.
δαίμων
a divinity; of uncertain origin.]
1.
(Gr. Antiq.)
A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a middle place between men and deities in pagan mythology.
The
demon
kind is of an intermediate nature between the divine and the human.
Sydenham.
2.
One’s genius; a tutelary spirit or internal voice;
as, the
demon
of Socrates
.
[Often written
dæmon
.]
3.
An evil spirit; a devil.
That same
demon
that hath gulled thee thus.
Shakespeare

Webster 1828 Edition


Demon

DEMON

,
Noun.
A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a middle place between men and the celestial deities of the Pagans. The ancients believed that there were good and evil demons, which had influence over the minds of men, and that these beings carried on an intercourse between men and gods, conveying the addresses of men to the gods, and divine benefits to men. Hence demons became the objects of worship. It was supposed also that human spirits, after their departure from the body, became demons, and that the souls of virtuous men, if highly purified, were exalted from demons into gods. The demons of the New Testament were supposed to be spiritual beings which vexed and tormented men. And in general , the word, in modern use, signifies an evil spirit or genius, which influences the conduct or directs the fortunes of mankind.

Definition 2024


dêmon

dêmon

See also: demon, démon, dēmon, and demön

Norman

Noun

dêmon m (plural dêmons)

  1. (Jersey) demon