Such demons are not the Greek intermediary spirits, but hostile entities, already known in Irianian beliefs. In Christianity morally ambivalent daimons were replaced by demons, forces of evil only striving for corruption.

The Greek conception of a daimōn notably appears in the works of Plato, where it describes the divine inspiration of Socrates. The Ancient Greek word δαίμων daimōn denotes a spirit or divine power. The original Greek word daimon did not carry negative connotations. In the contemporary Western occultist tradition (perhaps epitomized by the work of Aleister Crowley), a demon (such as Choronzon, which is Crowley's interpretation of the so-called 'Demon of the Abyss') is a useful metaphor for certain inner psychological processes (inner demons), though some may also regard it as an objectively real phenomenon. Demons are still feared largely due to their alleged power to possess living creatures. The supposed existence of demons remains an important concept in many modern religions and occultist traditions.

In Western occultism and Renaissance magic, which grew out of an amalgamation of Greco-Roman magic, Jewish Aggadah and Christian demonology, a demon is believed to be a spiritual entity that may be conjured and controlled. Large portions of the Jewish demonology, a key influence on Christianity and Islam, originated from a later form of Zoroastrianism, and were transferred to Judaism during the Persian era. 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. Mephistopheles (A Medieval demon from German folklore) flying over Wittenberg, in a lithograph by Eugène Delacroix.Ī 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.

Night elf demon hunter skin