demotic

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

Demotic
    adj 1: of or written in or belonging to the form of modern Greek
           based on colloquial use
    2: of or for the common people; "demotic entertainments";
       "demotic speech"; "a poet with a keen ear for demotic
       rhythms"
    n 1: a simplified cursive form of the ancient hieratic script;
         "Demotic script was eventually replaced by Greek" [syn:
         {Demotic}, {Demotic script}]
    2: the modern Greek vernacular [syn: {Romaic}, {Demotic}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Demotic \De*mot"ic\, a. [Gr. dhmotiko`s, fr. dh^mos the people:
   cf. F. d['e]motique.]
   Of or pertaining to the people; popular; common.
   [1913 Webster]

   {Demotic alphabet} or {Demotic character}, a form of writing
      used in Egypt after six or seven centuries before Christ,
      for books, deeds, and other such writings; a simplified
      form of the hieratic character; -- called also
      {epistolographic character}, and {enchorial character}.
      See {Enchorial}.
      [1913 Webster]