demiurge

Meaning

Noun

• The (usually benevolent) being that created the universe out of primal matter.
• A (usually jealous or outright malevolent) being who is inferior to the supreme being, and sometimes seen as the creator of evil.
• Something (such as an idea, individual or institution) conceived as an autonomous creative force or decisive power.
• The title of a magistrate in a number of states of Ancient Greece, and in the city states (poleis) of the Achaean League.

Origin

• From Ancient Greek δημιουργός ("one who work#Verb") (whence Latin dēmiūrgus, French démiurge), from δήμιος (from δῆμος, from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂mos ("people"), from *deh₂- + Ancient Greek -ιος, from Proto-Indo-European *-yós ("suffix creating an [[Appendix:Glossary#adjective")) + Ancient Greek -εργος ("suffix indicating a [[worker''") (from ἔργον, from Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom ("work")).