• Etymology Today from M-W: demotic \dih-MAH-tik\

1 : of, relating to, or written in a simplified form of the ancient Egyptian hieratic writing
2 : popular, common
3 : of or relating to the form of Modern Greek that is based on everyday speech

You may recognize the root of "demotic" from words like "democracy" and "demography." The source of these words is the Greek word "d?mos," meaning "people." "Demotic" is often used of everyday forms of language (as opposed to literary or highbrow versions). It entered English in the early 1800s and originally designated a form of ancient Egyptian cursive script which by the 5th century BC had come into use everywhere in Egypt for business and literary purposes (in contrast to the more complex, hieratic script retained by the clergy). "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.

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