Demonlike

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Exuding traits commonly linked to malevolent forces or evil beings
2. Bearing a resemblance to dark, sinister entities that invoke fear and malice
3. Having characteristics or qualities that remind one of a demon, especially in form or conduct

Etymology: Demonlike is a plain compound: "demon" with the suffix "-like," which is Old English "-līċ," meaning "having the form or body of." The "-like" part has deep roots in Germanic, where it grew out of a word for "body" or "form," so a demonlike thing is literally one with the body or shape of a demon. The suffix is one of English's most productive, and it attaches freely to nouns across the language, which is why new formations like this one feel so natural. The base word, "demon," reaches English from Latin "daemon," which was itself borrowed from Greek "daimōn." In Greek the word did not mean an evil spirit. It referred to a divine power or lesser deity, a spirit that could be benevolent or hostile, and its meaning darkened only later as Christian writers used it for malevolent beings. English "demon" carries that later sense, so "demonlike" inherits a negative coloring that the original Greek lacked.

Synonyms: fiendish, satanic, devilish

Antonyms: angelic