demon

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an evil supernatural being

   The book was about demons taking over the world.

2. 2
   noun

   someone extremely diligent or skillful

   I worked like a demon to finish the job on time.

3. 3
   noun

   a cruel wicked and inhuman person

   How could you kick that puppy? You are a demon!

4. 4
   noun

   An evil supernatural being.

   So what does the Gospel of Judas really say? It says that Judas is a specific demon called the "Thirteenth." In certain Gnostic traditions, this is the given name of the king of demons - an entity known as Ialdabaoth who lives in the 13th realm above the earth. Judas is his human alter ego, his undercover agent in the world. These Gnostics equated Ialdabaoth with the Hebrew Yahweh, whom they saw as a jealous and wrathful deity and an opponent of the supreme God whom Jesus came to earth to reveal. Whoever wrote the Gospel of Judas was a harsh critic of mainstream Christianity and its rituals. Because Judas is a demon working for Ialdabaoth, the author believed, when Judas sacrifices Jesus he does so to the demons, not to the supreme God. This mocks mainstream Christians' belief in the atoning value of Jesus' death and in the effectiveness of the Eucharist.

5. 5
   noun

   A neutral supernatural being.

   Oh Anthony […] Thy Dæmon that thy spirit which keepes thee, is Noble, Couragious, high vnmatchable.

6. 6
   noun

   Someone with great strength, passion or skill for a particular activity, pursuit etc.; an enthusiast.

   He’s a demon at the card tables.

7. 7
   noun

   A type of patience or solitaire (card game) played in the UK and/or US.

   ‘That's much the best feeling to have.’ She dealt out the first row of ‘demon’.

8. 8
   name

   A male given name from Ancient Greek.

   Demon writes that Taurus, the chief captain of Minos, was slain by Theseus at the mouth of the port, in a naval combat as he was sailing out for Athens.

Etymology

From Middle English demon, a borrowing from Medieval Latin dēmōn, daemōn (“lar, familiar spirit, guardian spirit”), from Ancient Greek δαίμων (daímōn, “dispenser, god, protective spirit”). Displaced native Old English sċucca and Old English þyrs. Doublet of daimon.