Demotic is a script that was used in ancient Egypt, primarily for writing the Egyptian language in a simplified form. It emerged around the 7th century BCE and was commonly used for administrative, legal, and literary texts. The term "demotic" itself means "popular" or "common," reflecting its use among the general population rather than just the elite. In addition to being a script, demotic also refers to a stage of the Egyptian language that evolved from earlier forms, such as hieroglyphics and hieratic. It played a crucial role in the development of later scripts, including Coptic, which is still used in some Christian communities in Egypt today.