demonic

• daemonic (dated), dæmonic (dated)

From Latin daemonicus, from Ancient Greek δαιμονικός (daimonikós, “possessed by a demon, sent by a demon”), from δαίμων (daímōn), equivalent to demon +‎ -ic. Doublet of daimonic.

• (UK) enPR: dĭmŏ'nĭk, IPA^(key): /dɪˈmɒnɪk/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒnɪk

demonic (comparative more demonic, superlative most demonic)

1. Pertaining to demons or evil spirits; demoniac.

   Convinced that his uncle was a warlock, he rifled through his attic, looking for demonic artifacts.

   Once he had grasped the controls, he unleashed a demonic laugh that made his hostages shudder.

2. Pertaining to daemons in ancient Greek thought; concerning supernatural ‘genius’.
   • 1999, Sigmund Freud, translated by Joyce Crick, The Interpretation of Dreams, section I:

     Aristotle concedes that the nature of the dream is indeed daemonic [translating dämonischer], but not divine – which might well reveal a profound meaning, if one could hit on the right translation.

3. (by extension) Extremely cruel or evil; abhorrent or repugnant.
   • 2009, Peter Fleming, Stelios C. Zyglidopoulos, Charting Corporate Corruption: Agency, Structure and Escalation, page 40:

     Lifton goes on to argue that they can commit these demonic acts because they rationalize their behaviour. A whole array of rationalizations justified the murder of innocent men, women and children.

   • 2023 April 1, Jonathan Weisman, quoting Tucker Carlson, “Trump and Fox News, Twin Titans of Politics, Hit With Back-to-Back Rebukes”, in The New York Times‎^[1], →ISSN:

     Texts show the star prime time host Tucker Carlson calling Mr. Trump a “demonic force,” […]

• demonish
• demonlike
• demonly

• demon
• demoniac
• demoniacal

• McIndoe, cnidome, ecnomid, incomed

Borrowed from Latin daemonicus. Equivalent to demon +‎ -ic.

demonic m or n (feminine singular demonică, masculine plural demonici, feminine and neuter plural demonice)

1. demonic, devilish