daemon

Etymology 1

A borrowing of Latin daemōn (“tutelary deity”), from Ancient Greek δαίμων (daímōn, “dispenser, tutelary deity”).

noun

  1. An idea depicted as an entity.
  2. (uncommon) Alternative form of demon.

Etymology 2

From Maxwell's demon; a derivation from “disk and execution monitor” is generally considered a backronym.

noun

  1. (computing, Unix) A process (a running program) that does not have a controlling terminal.

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