demonic

What it means

1. Pertaining to demons or evil spirits; demoniac.

   Once he had grasped the controls, he unleashed a demonic laugh that made his hostages shudder.

   1 more example

   Convinced that his uncle was a warlock, he rifled through his attic, looking for demonic artifacts.

   Synonyms: demonish, demonlike, demonly, cacodaemoniacal, daemonical, demoniac, demoniacal, demonical

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

   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

3. broadlyExtremely cruel or evil; abhorrent or repugnant; diabolical.

   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

   1 more example

   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

   Synonyms: heartless, sadistic, baleful, malefic, foul, loathsome, barbarous, bowelless

In a sentence

Convinced that his uncle was a warlock, he rifled through his attic, looking for demonic artifacts.

Where it comes from

1. Ancient Greekδαιμονικός“possessed by a demon, sent by a demon”
2. Latindaemonicus
3. Englishdemonic

From Latin daemonicus, from Ancient Greek δαιμονικός (daimonikós, “possessed by a demon, sent by a demon”), from δαίμων (daímōn), equivalent to demon + -ic. Doublet of daimonic.