Quick Definition
δαίμων, ονος, ὁ n.m. an evil-spirit, demon
Strong's Definition
from daio (to distribute fortunes); a dæmon or supernatural spirit (of a bad nature)
KJV Usage: devil
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
noun, m. | -ονος | δαιμονίζομαι
12.37 · Supernatural Beings and Powers · Supernatural Beings
demon, evil spirit an evil supernatural being or spirit While in a number of languages the Devil may be spoken of as ‘the chief of the demons,’ sometimes the demons are simply called ‘the spirits of the Devil’ or ‘the servants of the Devil.’
In a number of languages the difficulty in terminology for demons is not the absence of a term, but the abundance of different terms for different kinds of demons, each one of which may be responsible for particular kinds of human behavior, for example, insanity, depression, epilepsy, sex perversion, and violent assault. Sometimes demons are classified as ‘those of the home’ and ‘those of the forest,’ in which case the latter are normally regarded as more violent and virulent. When there is an abundance of different terms for demons and no generic term for all types of demons, one can usually select a class of demons which parallels most closely the descriptions of demon activity in the NT and use such a term with appropriate contextual qualifications so as to suggest that such a term is to be understood in a general sense.
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δαίμων, -ovos, 6, ἡ ; 1. in Grk. auth. a god, a goddess; an inferior deity, whether good or bad; hence ἀγαθοδαίμονες and κακοδαίμονες are distinguished [ef. W. 23 (22)]. 2. Inthe N. T. an evil spirit (see δαιμόνιον, 2): Mt. viii. 31; Mk. v.12 [RL]; Lk. viii. 29 [RGL mrg.]; Rev. xvi. 14 (Rec.); xviii. 2 (where LT Tr WH δαιμονίων). [B. D. (esp. Am. ed.) s. y. Demon; ef. δαιpoviCopat. |
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
δαίμων daimōn 1x
a god, a superior power; in NT a malignant demon, evil angel, Mt. 8:31*
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δαίμων, -ονος, ὁ, ἡ
[in LXX for גַּד, Is 65:11 (א; δαιμονίῳ, AB) * ;]
in cl. and NT = δαιμόνιον; a demon: Mt 8:31.†
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
| δαίμων. The word is used in its old sense in P Leid W\¥-9 (ii/iii a. D. ) δαίμων δαιμώνων, in a spell addressed toa divinity. Itanswers | often to the Latin Genius. Thus in a notification of the is described as ἀγαθὸς δαίμων δὲ τῆς οὐκουμένης (1. olk—), *“‘the good genius of the world.” Similarly OGZS 666? Νέρων] Κλαύδιος... 6 ἀγαθὸς δαίμων τῆς οἰκουμένης, σὺν ἅπασιν οἷς εὐεργέτησεν ἀγαθοῖς : cf. 2). 6727 (A.D. 80) with reference to the Nile—apvyn ᾿Αγαθὸς Δαίμων ποταμὸς In a private letter of iii/A.p. the combination occurs as a proper name, P Strass I. 734 ᾿Αγαθὸς Δαίμων σύν σοι εἰσελθὼν διεπέμψατο: cf. BGU II. 494" (Ἰ]Ὰ.1..), a/. For the word in a bad sense, see the magical incantation, P Par 5741227 ((iii/A.p.) (= Se/ections, p. 113) πρᾶξις γενναία ἐκβάλλουσα δαίμονας, ‘a notable spell for driving out demons,” and the Christian amulet in which the wearer prays, ὅπως διώξῃς ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δούλου σου τὸν δαίμονα προβασκανίας, ‘that Thou mayst drive from me Thy servant the demon of witchcraft ᾿ς ΒΟΤΙ III. 954° (ς. vi/A.D.) (= Selections, p. 133). In P Grenf II. 768 (A.D. 305-6) two νεκροτάφοι from Kusis agree to a formal divorce, seeing that ‘‘ owing to some evil deity” they have renounced their wedded life=eémt (/. ἔπει) ἐκ τινὸς πονηροῦ δαίμονος συνέβη αὐτοὺς ἀποζεῦχθαι ἀλλήλων τὴν κοινὴν αὐτῶν συνβίωσιν. So P Cairo Preis 215 (A.D. 362) ὡς τῆς γυναικός μου πῖραν λαβοῦσαν (for λαβούσης) δέμονος, ‘in the belief that my wife had had experience of a demon.
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
δαίμων (daimōn) — demon. δαίμων, ονος, vocative δαίμων [Refs 5th c.BC+], ὁ, ἡ, god, goddess, of individual gods or goddesses, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ἐμίσγετο δαίμονι δαίμων, of Φιλίη and Νεῖκος, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—but more frequently of the Divine power (while θεός denotes a God in person), the Deity,[Refs 8th c.BC+]; πρὸς δαίμονα against the Divine power, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; κατὰ δαίμονα, almost, ={τύχῃ}, by chance, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἄμαχος δ., i. e. Destiny, [Refs 5th c.BC+] what the Gods ordain, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
2. the power controlling the destiny of individuals: hence, one's lot or forlune, δτυγερὸς δέ οἱ ἔχραε δ. [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δαίμονα δώσω I will deal thee fate, i.e. kill thee, [Refs]; frequently in Trag. of good or ill fortune, ὅταν ὁ δ. εὐροῇ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; personified as the good or evil genius of a family or person, δ. τῷπλεισθενιδῶν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II. δαίμονες, οἱ, souls of men of the golden age, acting as tutelary deities, [Refs 8th c.BC+]; τὸν τὲ δ. Δαρεῖον ἀγκαλεῖσθε, of the deified Darius, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; νῦν δ᾽ ἐστὶ μάκαιρα δ., of Alcestis, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: later, of departed souls, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]; δαίμοσιν εὐσεβέσιν, = Dis Manibus, [Refs]; so θεοὶ δ., [Refs]ghost, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.2. generally, spiritual or semi-divine being inferior to the Gods, [Refs 1st c.AD+]; especially evil spirit, demon, [NT+1st c.AD+]; δαίμονος ἔσοδος εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, [Refs 2nd c.AD+]
II.3. ἀγαθὸς δ. the Good Genius to whom a toast was drunk after dinner, [Refs 5th c.BC+], etc.; of Nero, ἀ. δ. τῆς οἰκουμένης [Refs]; of the Nile, ἀ. δ. ποταμός[Refs 1st c.AD+]; of the tutelary genius of individuals (above 1), ἀ. δ. Ποσειδωνίου [Refs] = Latin Di Manes, [Refs 4th c.AD+] __B ={δαήμων}, knowing, δ. μάχης skilled in fight, [Refs 7th c.BC+], suggests this as the originally sense; while others would write δαήμονες in [Refs 7th c.BC+], and get rid of this sense altogether; compare however αἵμων. More probably the Root of δαίμων (deity) is δαίω to distribute destinies;;[Refs 7th c.BC+]