demiurge

[ dem-ee-urj ]

noun

1. Philosophy.
   1. Platonism. the artificer of the world.
   2. (in the Gnostic and certain other belief systems) a supernatural being imagined as creating or fashioning the world in subordination to the Supreme Being, and sometimes regarded as the originator of evil.
2. (in many states of ancient Greece) a public official or magistrate.

demiurge

/ ˈdɛmɪˌɜːdʒ; ˈdiː- /

noun

1. 1. (in the philosophy of Plato) the creator of the universe
   2. (in Gnostic and some other philosophies) the creator of the universe, supernatural but subordinate to the Supreme Being
2. (in ancient Greece) a magistrate with varying powers found in any of several states

Derived Forms

• ˌdemiˈurgeous, adjective
• ˌdemiˈurgically, adverb

Other Words From

• dem·i·ur·geous [dem-ee-, ur, -j, uh, s], dem·i·ur·gic dem·i·ur·gi·cal adjective
• dem·i·ur·gi·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of demiurge¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; from Greek dēmiourgós “a worker for the people, public worker, skilled worker,” equivalent to dḗmio(s) “of the people, public” + -ergos “a worker,” derivative of érgon work ( none )

Word History and Origins

Origin of demiurge¹

C17: from Church Latin dēmiūrgus, from Greek dēmiourgos skilled workman, literally: one who works for the people, from dēmos people + ergon work

Example Sentences

It was one of the forms symbolic of the Demiurge or Maker of our universe.

From Project Gutenberg

The realm of his influence as a kind of Prometheus, or even as a demiurge, extends very far northwards.

From Project Gutenberg

For the Demiurge now appears as an inferior being, who in reality executes the purposes of the good God.

From Project Gutenberg

Since no one could keep this law, the whole human race fell under the curse, temporal and eternal, of the Demiurge.

From Project Gutenberg

By the “works of the Demiurge,” which the Christian is to flee, he meant the whole “service of the perishable.”

From Project Gutenberg