daemon

daemon — noun

1. In ancient Greek mythology, a being with both divine and mortal qualities, somet

1.名詞B2
釋義

In ancient Greek mythology, a being with both divine and mortal qualities, sometimes serving as a personal guide or protective spirit for a person or place.

例句

According to ancient Greek myths, the daemon of the river helped sailors during dangerous storms.

daemon as a localised nature spirit in myths

The philosopher Socrates believed he had a personal daemon that warned him against bad choices.

daemon as a personal guiding spirit in philosophy

同義詞
  • spirit

    much broader term for any non-physical being, not limited to Greek mythology

  • demigod

    refers to a specific figure who is half god and half human (e.g. Heracles), not a general class of spirit-beings

  • guardian spirit

    emphasises the protective function, but comes from broader folk traditions rather than specifically Greek mythology

用法筆記

In modern English, the spelling 'daemon' is often used to refer specifically to the ancient Greek concept of a neutral or benevolent spirit-being, while 'demon' nearly always means an evil spirit. The variant spelling 'daimon' is also common in scholarly writing.

常見錯誤

❌She drew a picture of a daemon with horns and a tail.
✅She drew a picture of a demon with horns and a tail.
💡In modern English, 'daemon' refers to the Greek concept of a spirit-being, while 'demon' means an evil spirit from religious or folk tradition.

2. An evil spirit or supernatural creature believed to cause harm, bad luck, or fea

2.名詞B1
釋義

An evil spirit or supernatural creature believed to cause harm, bad luck, or fear.

例句

The villagers believed a daemon haunted the abandoned castle on the hill.

daemon haunting a location

Tamás woke up certain that a daemon stood in the corner of his dark room.

同義詞
  • demon

    the standard modern spelling; far more common in contemporary English

  • devil

    often implies a specific evil figure (Satan) or a lesser evil spirit in Christian tradition; stronger religious connotation

  • fiend

    suggests a cruel or wicked person or creature; less mythological, more literary

反義詞
  • angel

    a benevolent heavenly messenger, opposite of an evil spirit in religious traditions

用法筆記

The spelling 'daemon' for an evil spirit is archaic or literary; the standard modern spelling is 'demon'. This sense appears mainly in older texts, fantasy fiction, or translations of ancient writings where the evil meaning is intended.

常見錯誤

❌The software uses a daemon to manage background tasks.
✅The software uses a daemon process to manage background tasks.
💡In computing, 'daemon' (pronounced DEE-mən) refers to a background program, not a spirit. This is a separate technical usage not covered here.