Demotic (from Ancient Greek: δημοτικός dēmotikós, 'popular') is the ancient Egyptian script derived from northern forms of hieratic used in the Nile Delta. The term was first used by the Greek historian …

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.

Dec 1, 2025 · demotic script, Egyptian hieroglyphic writing of cursive form that was used in handwritten texts from the early 7th century bce until the 5th century ce.

The Demotic or popular script, a name given to it by Herodotus, developed from a northern variant of the Hieratic script in around 660 BC. The Egyptians themselves called it 'sekh shat' (writing for documents).

Define demotic. demotic synonyms, demotic pronunciation, demotic translation, English dictionary definition of demotic. adj. 1. Of or relating to the common people; popular: demotic speech; demotic …

The language of demotic represents the Egyptian language between 'Late Egyptian' and Coptic. The phonetic inventory of demotic differs only slightly from earlier times.

Nov 29, 2025 · Noun demotic (countable and uncountable, plural demotics) (linguistics) Language as spoken or written by the common people.

Demotic is used to describe something or someone that is typical of ordinary people.

DEMOTIC definition: of or relating to the ordinary, everyday, current form of a language; vernacular. See examples of demotic used in a sentence.

Apr 9, 2025 · Demotic comes from the Greek word demotikos, meaning “of or for the common people” or “in common use.” Members of the aristocracy don’t typically use demotic idioms, but it is often the …