daemons
/ˈdiːmənz/
NOUN
1. Evil supernatural spirits
Supernatural beings regarded as evil or malevolent, often believed to cause harm, temptation, or misfortune.
1.1. Malevolent spirits and demons
Evil supernatural entities associated with darkness, destruction, temptation, or harmful influence.
Synonyms
- demons
- devils
- fiends
- cacodemons
- evil spirits
- shaitans
- imps
Antonyms
- angels
Examples
- The ancient legend tells of powerful daemons that terrorized the village.
- The fantasy novel describes a battle between angels and daemons.
- The magician attempted to summon several daemons from the underworld.
Related Words
- Satan
- hell
- possession
- exorcism
- malevolence
- underworld
- supernatural
- darkness
1.2. Mythological evil creatures
Malevolent or frightening supernatural creatures appearing in folklore, mythology, and traditional supernatural stories.
Synonyms
Examples
- The villagers believed that daemons lived in the dark forest.
- The old stories warned travelers about dangerous daemons hiding in caves.
Related Words
- folklore
- mythology
- witchcraft
- enchantment
- haunting
- nightmare
- supernatural creature
- legend
NOUN
2. Neutral supernatural spirits
Supernatural beings that may influence, guide, inspire, or accompany humans without necessarily being good or evil.
2.1. Spiritual guides and familiar spirits
Supernatural entities believed to accompany, guide, protect, or assist particular individuals.
Synonyms
Examples
- Ancient philosophers believed that personal daemons could provide spiritual guidance.
- The story describes daemons accompanying heroes on their journeys.
- Some traditions regard daemons as protective spiritual companions.
Related Words
- spiritual guidance
- guardian angel
- protection
- inspiration
- divination
- spiritual companion
- supernatural being
2.2. Mythological and folkloric spirits
Otherworldly beings from mythology and folklore, including spirits and magical creatures that are not necessarily malevolent.
Synonyms
Examples
- The folklore describes daemons living alongside humans in an invisible world.
- The fantasy story features daemons, fairies, and other magical creatures.
Related Words
- folklore
- fairy tale
- mythology
- enchantment
- magic
- legend
- ethereal being
- incorporeal entity
NOUN
3. People with exceptional enthusiasm or skill
People who demonstrate extraordinary energy, passion, strength, or ability in a particular activity or pursuit.
3.1. Exceptional skill and ability
People who are exceptionally talented, capable, or proficient in a particular field or activity.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- amateurs
- novices
- beginners
- inexperts
Examples
- The programmers are daemons at solving complex technical problems.
- Those engineers are daemons when it comes to network security.
Related Words
3.2. Intense enthusiasm and dedication
People who pursue an activity with exceptional passion, energy, determination, or enthusiasm.
Synonyms
- enthusiasts
- fanatics
- devotees
- zealots
- aficionados
- passionate followers
Antonyms
- apathetic people
- indifferent people
- disinterested people
Examples
- The researchers are daemons for scientific discovery.
- They are daemons about improving their programming skills.
Related Words
- passion
- enthusiasm
- zeal
- dedication
- devotion
- commitment
- perseverance
- intensity
NOUN
4. Background computer processes
Programs or processes that run without a controlling terminal, typically performing system tasks in the background.
4.1. Operating system services
Background processes that perform system operations, manage resources, or provide services without requiring direct user interaction.
Synonyms
- background processes
- background services
- system services
- service processes
Antonyms
- foreground processes
- interactive processes
Examples
- The system administrator restarted several daemons to restore network connectivity.
- Background daemons handle logging and scheduled maintenance tasks.
- The server relies on multiple daemons to provide network services.
Related Words
- Unix
- Linux
- operating system
- process management
- scheduler
- system administration
- server
- terminal
- service manager
NOUN
5. A type of solitaire card game
A patience card game known as Canfield in the United States, played with a standard deck of cards.
5.1. Solitaire and patience games
A single-player card game in which cards are arranged according to specific rules and sequences.
Synonyms
- Canfield
- Canfield solitaire
Examples
- She spent the afternoon playing daemons with a deck of cards.
- Daemons is another name for the patience game called Canfield.
Related Words
NOUN
6. Skipper butterflies
Butterflies belonging to certain genera of the skipper family Hesperiidae, particularly Notocrypta and Udaspes.
6.1. Species of skipper butterflies
Butterflies classified within the skipper family, characterized by relatively stout bodies and rapid, darting flight.
Synonyms
- skippers
- skipper butterflies
Examples
- The naturalist recorded several daemons among the skipper butterflies.
- The field guide includes illustrations of daemons found in tropical regions.
Related Words
- Hesperiidae
- Notocrypta
- Udaspes
- Lepidoptera
- insects
- butterflies
- caterpillars
- pupae