Meanings
demos1
- An ancient subdivision of Attica; (now also) a Greek municipality, an administrative area covering a city or several villages together.First known use 18th c.
Synonyms: deme
- pluralsingularpolitical scienceThe ordinary citizens of an ancient Greek city-state; hence, the common populace of a state or district (especially a democratic one); the people.First known use 18th c.
When the demos took charge, law and order inevitably collapsed, or so they concluded.
2007, Tim Blanning, The Pursuit of Glory, Penguin, published 2008, page 323
demos2
- pluralplural of demo
- indicativepresentsingularthird personthird-person singular simple present indicative of demo
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn ancient subdivision of Attica; (now also) a Greek municipality, an administrative area covering a city or several villages together.
Origin
demos · noun
- Ancient Greekδῆμος“ordinary citizens, common people from a district, in a city-state”
- Englishdemos
From Ancient Greek δῆμος (dêmos, “ordinary citizens, common people from a district, in a city-state”). Doublet of deme.
More words from Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →demos · noun, verb
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
demos. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demos
“demos.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demos. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “demos,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demos.
Source: demos on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.