cacodemon

9.9

An evil spirit that haunts people in stories

noun
/ˌkækoʊˈdiːmən/

Archaic

: cacodemonio

In her nightmare, a shadowy cacodemon whispered unsettling secrets.

Examples

Some ancient texts describe a cacodemon that torments the troubled mind.
The old legend warned of a cacodemon haunting the abandoned castle.
The cacodemon haunted the village for centuries.
In the story, a cacodemon tormented the hero.
In her nightmare, a shadowy cacodemon whispered unsettling secrets.
Some ancient texts describe a cacodemon that torments the troubled mind.
The old legend warned of a cacodemon haunting the abandoned castle.

Synonyms

evil spirit

vscacodemon

Literature

41 6.8

A ghost or invisible being people believe causes harm and bad luck

is a specific malevolent figure found mainly in myths and literature

Antonyms

angel

881 1.8

A religious being with wings believed to bring messages or help from God

good spirit

Literature

4 7.8

A kind spirit that protects people and brings good luck

eudemon

Archaic

9.9

A kind spirit from ancient Greek belief that protects people

Surface Forms

cacodemon singular

cacodemons plural

Morphology

cacodemon = demon + caco (semi-transparent) = caco + demon + caco

The base 'demon' is clear, but 'caco-' is a learned Greek combining form meaning 'bad' and is not a productive everyday prefix for most learners, so the meaning is only partly recoverable.

Etymology

Cacodemon comes from ancient Greek parts caco- meaning 'bad' and daimon meaning 'spirit'. So a cacodemon is a 'bad spirit' or demon, which is why the word is used for an evil spirit in myths and stories.