demonic

ENEnglish
//dɪˈmɒnɪk//(UK)

Definitions & Usage

adjective
#1

Pertaining to demons or evil spirits; demoniac.

Example: Convinced that his uncle was a warlock, he rifled through his attic, looking for demonic artifacts.
Example: Once he had grasped the controls, he unleashed a demonic laugh that made his hostages shudder.
adjective
#2

Pertaining to daemons in ancient Greek thought; concerning supernatural ‘genius’.

adjective
#3

(by extension) Extremely cruel or evil; abhorrent or repugnant; diabolical.

Notable Literary & Historical Quotes

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.

1999, Sigmund Freud, translated by Joyce Crick, The Interpretation of Dreams, section I:

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.

2009, Peter Fleming, Stelios C. Zyglidopoulos, Charting Corporate Corruption: Agency, Structure and Escalation, page 40:

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

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, →ISSN:

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