demotic

[ dih-mot-ik ]

adjective

1. of or relating to the ordinary, everyday, current form of a language; vernacular:

   a poet with a keen ear for demotic rhythms.

2. of or relating to the common people; popular.
3. of, relating to, or noting the simplified form of hieratic writing used in ancient Egypt between 700 b.c. and a.d. 500.

noun

1. demotic script.
2. (initial capital letter) Also called Romaic. the Modern Greek vernacular ( Katharevusa ).

Demotic

¹

/ dɪˈmɒtɪk /

noun

1. the spoken form of Modern Greek, now increasingly used in literature Compare Katharevusa

adjective

1. denoting or relating to this

demotic

²

/ dɪˈmɒtɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to the common people; popular
2. of or relating to a simplified form of hieroglyphics used in ancient Egypt by the ordinary literate class outside the priesthood Compare hieratic

noun

1. the demotic script of ancient Egypt

Derived Forms

• deˈmotist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of demotic¹

1815–25; < Greek dēmotikós popular, plebeian, equivalent to dēmót ( ēs ) a plebeian (derivative of dêmos; demo- ) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of demotic¹

C19: from Greek dēmotikos of the people, from dēmotēs a man of the people, commoner; see demos

Example Sentences

A slab from the Roman era was also found with hieroglyphic and demotic inscriptions, which may give more clues once restored.

From Washington Post

She held grudges, and wrote about them using language more demotic than regal: “You’re an idiot and I hate your guts,” she sang on her song “Idiot,” from 2005.

From New York Times

A series of interconnected short narratives about a group of friends, “Trainspotting” is inventive, scurrilous, gloriously demotic and entirely itself.

From New York Times

He would waffle in demotic English and then answer a charge with a quotation from Seneca.

From Washington Post

Today’s readers, used to the twittering demotic of our age, may need to adjust to this titanic prose-poem’s leisurely, mandarin style.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• conversational
• vernacular