Word of the Day

: March 21, 2013

demotic

adjective dih-MAH-tik

What It Means

1 : of, relating to, or written in a simplified form of the ancient Egyptian hieratic writing

2 : common, popular

3 : of or relating to the form of Modern Greek that is based on everyday speech

demotic in Context

The style of her art work is intentionally demotic, aimed at ordinary people rather than the elite of the art world.

"The demotic dictionary gives researchers definitions, shows word uses and helps with translating texts. But it also serves as a reference guide for reconstructing and understanding ancient Egyptian culture, whether it's the nuances of government, commerce, politics, religion or male-female relationships." - From an article by Dawn Turner Trice in the Chicago Tribune, October 22, 2012

Did You Know?

You may recognize the root of "demotic" from words like "democracy" and "demography." The source of these words is the Greek word "dēmos," meaning "people." "Demotic" is often used of everyday forms of language (as opposed to literary or highbrow versions). It entered English in the early 1800s and originally designated a form of ancient Egyptian cursive script which by the 5th century BCE had come into use everywhere in Egypt for business and literary purposes (in contrast to the more complex, hieratic script retained by the clergy). "Demotic" has a newer specialized sense as well, referring to a form of Modern Greek that is based on everyday speech and that since 1976 has been the official language of Greece.