demon

The word "demon" originates from the Greek 'daimōn', which referred to a divine power, spirit, or lesser deity, not inherently evil. This term was adopted into Latin as 'daemon'. Early Christian theologians, however, repurposed the term to denote malevolent spirits opposed to God, thereby shifting its semantic trajectory from neutral or positive to overwhelmingly negative. This theological reinterpretation passed through Old French before entering Middle English, solidifying its modern meaning as an evil spirit or a personification of wickedness.

The word "demon" is a simplex loanword from Latin/Greek. It is not productively segmented in modern English spelling. Its core component is the Greek root 'daimōn' (a spirit or divine power).