Definition

1. Noun:
   • The worship of demons or evil spirits: "Demonolatry" refers to the religious or ritualistic veneration, adoration, or worship of demons, devils, or malevolent supernatural entities. It involves acts, rites, or practices directed toward these beings.

Usage

• "Demonolatry" is a formal, academic term used primarily in the contexts of religious studies, anthropology, and history to describe specific belief systems or practices. It is not a common word in everyday conversation.

Examples

• Noun:
  • Historical records from the medieval period sometimes accused heretical sects of practicing demonolatry.
  • The anthropologist's paper analyzed the traces of ancient demonolatry in the region's folklore.

Advanced Usage

• The term can be used metaphorically in literary or critical contexts to describe an obsessive devotion to a destructive or evil principle.
  • The critic described the dictator's cult of personality as a form of political demonolatry.

Variants and Related Words

• Demonolater (noun): A person who worships demons.
  • The text described the rituals of the demonolaters.
• Demonolatrous (adjective): Pertaining to or characterized by the worship of demons.
  • They investigated the demonolatrous cult.

Synonyms

• Devil-worship: The worship of the Devil or devils.
• Diabolatry: Another formal term for the worship of the devil.

Notes on Meaning

• "Demonolatry" specifically denotes the act of demons. It is distinct from:
  • Demonology: The study of demons.
  • Sorcery or Witchcraft: Which may involve conjuring or commanding demons but not necessarily worshiping them.

Noun

1. the acts or rites of worshiping devils