demon
/ˈdimən/
noun
Common
1.n.an evil supernatural being
2.n.a cruel wicked and inhuman person
3.n.someone extremely diligent or skillful
“he worked like a demon to finish the job on time”
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demon and devil share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. demon means “an evil supernatural being”. devil means “(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell”. devil is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈdimən/
1.n.an evil supernatural being
2.n.a cruel wicked and inhuman person
3.n.someone extremely diligent or skillful
“he worked like a demon to finish the job on time”
/ˈdɛvəl/
1.n.(Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions) chief spirit of evil and adversary of God; tempter of mankind; master of Hell
2.n.an evil supernatural being
3.n.a word used in exclamations of confusion
“what the devil”
| demon | devil | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈdimən/ | /ˈdɛvəl/ |
| Said | DEE-muhn | DEV-uhl |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Letters | 5 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun | noun, verb |
| Senses | 3 | 7 |
| How common | Common | Core |
| Synonyms | devil, fiend, daemon | Satan, Old Nick, Lucifer |
Full entry for demon · Full entry for devil · More comparisons