demotic

/dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/

//dɪˈmɒt.ɪk// adj

"demotic" is a 7-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“demotic” is uncommon English (frequency #92,527 among 26,416 “D” headwords), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#92,527
frequency rank, English
26,416
“D” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Of or for the common people.

Key facts for demotic
PropertyValue
Headworddemotic
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/
Letters7
Frequency rank#92,527
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “demotic” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). demotic lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

demotic is uncommon English at frequency #92,527 among 26,416 “D” headwords, classed as anadjective, transcribed /dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 3 senses are on record.

The misspelling generator found no plausible variants for demotic, suggesting the orthography follows predictable English patterns. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: First attested in 1822, from Ancient Greek δημοτικός (dēmotikós, “common”), from δημότης (dēmótēs, “commoner”), from δῆμος (dêmos, “the common people”). The correct English form is demotic, spelled D-E-M-O-T-I-C.

Definition

  1. 1
    Of or for the common people.
  2. 2
    Of, relating to, or written in the ancient Egyptian script that developed from Lower Egyptian hieratic writing starting from around 650 BCE and was chiefly used to write the Demotic phase of the Egyptian language, with simplified and cursive characters that no longer corresponded directly to their hieroglyphic precursors.
  3. 3
    Of, relating to, or written in the form of modern vernacular Greek.

Etymology

First attested in 1822, from Ancient Greek δημοτικός (dēmotikós, “common”), from δημότης (dēmótēs, “commoner”), from δῆμος (dêmos, “the common people”).

This word in other languages

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "demotic"?
"demotic" is spelled D-E-M-O-T-I-C. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/.
What does "demotic" mean?
As an adjective, "demotic" means: Of or for the common people.
How do you pronounce "demotic"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "demotic" is /dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "demotic"?
First attested in 1822, from Ancient Greek δημοτικός (dēmotikós, “common”), from δημότης (dēmótēs, “commoner”), from δῆμος (dêmos, “the common people”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “demotic”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-E-M-O-T-I-C - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪˈmɒt.ɪk/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list