Daemon vs. Demon — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 21, 2023
Daemon usually refers to a computer program that runs in the background, or in classical mythology, a guiding spirit. Demon generally refers to an evil supernatural being or force, often depicted in religious texts.
Difference Between Daemon and Demon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Daemon and demon are two words that are often confused but have different meanings and usages. A daemon is primarily understood in the context of computing as a background process that handles tasks without direct user intervention. In classical mythology, a daemon could be a benevolent or neutral guiding spirit. On the other hand, a demon is primarily considered an evil spirit or entity, often associated with religious contexts.
In computing, the term daemon is commonly used to describe background processes that handle server operations, maintenance tasks, or other system functions. These daemons are neutral and serve a specific purpose for system stability. In contrast, the word demon is seldom used in a technological context; it is most often found in religious or folklore narratives where it represents malevolent beings that seek to harm or tempt humans.
Grammatically, both daemon and demon function as nouns. Daemons in technology are often associated with terms like "process," "server," or "background," while demons in religion or folklore are commonly paired with words like "evil," "supernatural," or "hellish."
In summary, daemons and demons differ in their primary contexts—computing and mythology for daemons, and religion and folklore for demons. Though both terms function as nouns, they are associated with different sets of descriptive words and imply different forms of influence, one being mostly neutral or beneficial, and the other being malevolent.
Comparison Chart
Primary Context
Computing, Classical Mythology
Religion, Folklore
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Grammatical Usage
Noun
Noun
Nature
Neutral/Beneficial
Malevolent
Common Associations
Process, Server, Background
Evil, Supernatural, Hellish
Cultural Origin
Greek Mythology, Computing
Various Religious Traditions
Compare with Definitions
Daemon
A daemon can be a guiding spirit in classical mythology.
Socrates claimed to have a daemon that advised him.
Demon
A demon is an evil supernatural being.
The demon in the story tempts the hero.
Daemon
Daemons are neutral entities that serve specific functions.
The daemon for email ensures smooth delivery.
Demon
Demons are often depicted in religious contexts.
The Bible describes various demons associated with evil.
Daemon
A daemon can manage system operations.
The print daemon manages all the printing tasks.
Demon
A demon can possess individuals and cause harm.
The movie is about demonic possession.
Daemon
A daemon is a background process in computing.
The HTTP daemon handles web server requests.
Demon
Demons are typically considered malevolent.
Demons in folklore are feared entities.
Daemon
Chiefly British Variant of demon.
Demon
Demons can symbolize internal struggles.
He battled his personal demons during therapy.
Daemon
Variant of daimon.
Demon
A demon is a supernatural being, typically associated with evil, prevalent historically in religion, occultism, literature, fiction, mythology, and folklore; as well as in media such as comics, video games, movies, anime, and television series. In Ancient Near Eastern religions and in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered a harmful spiritual entity which may cause demonic possession, calling for an exorcism.
Daemon
(Computers) A program or process that runs in the background but remains inactive until invoked.
Demon
An evil supernatural being; a devil.
Daemon
An idea depicted as an entity.
Demon
A persistently tormenting person, force, or passion
The demon of drug addiction.
Daemon
(uncommon) demon.
Demon
One who is extremely zealous, skillful, or diligent
Worked away like a demon.
A real demon at math.
Daemon
A process (a running program) that does not have a controlling terminal.
Demon
Variant of daimon.
Daemon
See Demon, Demonic.
Demon
An evil supernatural spirit.
Daemon
One of the evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief
Demon
An evil spirit resident in or working for Hell; a devil.
Daemon
A person who is part mortal and part god
Demon
A false god or idol; a Satanic divinity.
Daemon
Daemons in computing run without user interaction.
File-sharing daemons make it easier to exchange data.
Demon
A very wicked or malevolent person; also in weakened sense a mischievous person, especially a child.
Demon
A source (especially personified) of great evil or wickedness; a destructive feeling or character flaw.
The demon of stupidity haunts me whenever I open my mouth.
Demon
(in plural) A person's fears or anxieties.
Demon
A neutral supernatural spirit.
Demon
A person's inner spirit or genius; a guiding or creative impulse.
Demon
(Greek mythology) A tutelary deity or spirit intermediate between the major Olympian gods and mankind, especially a deified hero or the entity which supposedly guided Socrates, telling him what not to do.
Demon
A spirit not considered to be inherently evil; a (non-Christian) deity or supernatural being.
Demon
A hypothetical entity with special abilities postulated for the sake of a thought experiment in philosophy or physics.
Demon
Someone with great strength, passion or skill for a particular activity, pursuit etc.; an enthusiast.
He’s a demon at the card tables.
Demon
(card games) A type of patience or solitaire (card game) played in the UK and/or US.
Demon
Any of various hesperiid butterflies of the genera Notocrypta and Udaspes.
Demon
A spirit, or immaterial being, holding a middle place between men and deities in pagan mythology.
The demon kind is of an intermediate nature between the divine and the human.
Demon
One's genius; a tutelary spirit or internal voice; as, the demon of Socrates.
Demon
An evil spirit; a devil.
That same demon that hath gulled thee thus.
Demon
One of the evil spirits of traditional Jewish and Christian belief
Demon
A cruel wicked and inhuman person
Demon
Someone extremely diligent or skillful;
He worked like a demon to finish the job on time
She's a demon at math
Common Curiosities
What is a demon in religious terms?
A demon is an evil spirit or supernatural being.
Are demons always evil?
They are generally considered malevolent in religious and folklore contexts.
What is a daemon in computing?
A daemon is a background process that runs on a computer system.
How do daemons work in computing?
They run in the background, managing tasks without user intervention.
Can a daemon be stopped?
Yes, daemons in computing can be stopped using specific commands.
Are demons physical beings?
They are generally considered supernatural and not physical.
Do demons have different ranks?
In some traditions, demons are organized hierarchically.
Do daemons exist in mythology?
Yes, in classical mythology, daemons are often guiding spirits.
What's the origin of the word daemon?
It has roots in Greek mythology and was later adapted for computing.
Can a demon possess a person?
In religious and folklore narratives, demons can possess individuals.
Are daemons harmful?
In computing, they are neutral and often beneficial.
Are demons part of all religions?
Not all, but many religious traditions have concepts of demons.
Can daemons and demons be used interchangeably?
No, they refer to different concepts and are not interchangeable.
Can you banish a demon?
In religious or magical contexts, rituals exist for banishing demons.
Can daemons be programmed?
Yes, daemons are software programs created by developers.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
