Etymograph

English

demonian

Demonian comes from Ancient Greek δαιμόνῐον ‘an inferior divine being, demon’, from δαίμων ‘guardian spirit’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to share, divide’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-1‘to share, divide’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίομαι1daíomai
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίμων1daímōn‘guardian spirit’
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαιμόνῐος1daimónĭos‘proceeding from an evil spirit, demon, see cacodemon’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαιμόνῐον1daimónĭon‘an inferior divine being, demon’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdaemonium2
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1671demonian2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin daemonium
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English demonian
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1671, John Milton, The Second Book: “Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Æthereal Thrones, / Demonian Spirits…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*deh₂y-Wiktionary, Latin daemonium‘to share, divide’reconstructed
  2. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίομαιWiktionary, Latin daemoniumdaíomai
  3. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαίμωνWiktionary, Latin daemoniumdaímōn‘guardian spirit’
  4. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαιμόνῐοςWiktionary, Latin daemoniumdaimónĭos‘proceeding from an evil spirit, demon, see cacodemon’
  5. Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEδαιμόνῐονWiktionary, Latin daemoniumdaimónĭon‘an inferior divine being, demon’
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEdaemoniumWiktionary, English demonian
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1671demonianWiktionary, English demonian. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1671, John Milton, The Second Book: “Princes, Heavens antient Sons, Æthereal Thrones, / Demonian Spirits…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- ‘to share, divide’

time, till, til, tide, tease, tass, 24 more

through Ancient Greek δαίμων ‘guardian spirit’

daemon, daimon, 16 more

Today it means

adj Synonym of demonic.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “demonian”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin daemonium. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *deh₂y- / demonian

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