demotic

adjective

de·​mot·​ic di-ˈmä-tik 

1

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

2

: popular, common

demotic idiom

3

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

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.

Examples of demotic in a Sentence

a more demotic way of speaking

Recent Examples on the Web

Written in the demotic style of his native Tipperary, Ryan’s characters sink you deep into the page, pulling you into their mundane lives. —Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024

But McMahon also used a sophisticated, if frequently racist, strategy of mirroring current events, doubling them in a form demotic enough to capture the attention of the beer-drinking crowd. —Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 11 Oct. 2024

And the fourth stage of realignment — raucous, demotic, performative, over-the-top, transgressive, and potentially earth-shattering — is about to begin. —Matthew Continetti, National Review, 16 Mar. 2024

Donald Trump won in 2016 by winning over demotic whites who voted for Barack Obama. —Michael Barone, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek dēmotikós "of the people, common, ordinary, of the cursive Egyptian script," from dēmótēs "one of the people, commoner" (from dêmos "people" + -tēs, suffix of persons) + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at demo-

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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