demon

Multiple Entries:
  demon    daemon  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
demon1

▶noun

• 1 an evil spirit or devil.

  ■ often humorous an evil or destructive person or thing: you little demon.

• 2 [as modifier] denoting a person skilful in a specified role: a demon cook.

• 3 another term for daemon1.

• 4 variant spelling of daemon2.

– origin ME: from med. L., from L. daemon (or its dimin. daemonium), from Gk daimōn ‘deity, genius’.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
demon2

▶noun Austral./NZ informal a police officer.

– origin C19: perh. from Van Diemen's Land, an early name for Tasmania, or based on dee (sl. term for detective) + man.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
daemon1 /ˈdiːmən/ (also daimon)

▶noun

• 1 (in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a nature between gods and humans.

  ■ an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force.

• 2 archaic spelling of demon1.

– derivatives
daemonic adjective.

– origin C16: common spelling of demon1 until the 19th cent.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
daemon2 /ˈdiːmən/ (also demon)

▶noun Computing a background process that handles requests for services such as print spooling, and is dormant when not required.

– origin 1980s: perh. from d(isk) a(nd) e(xecution) mon(itor) or from de(vice) mon(itor), or merely a transferred use of demon1.