DEMEAN - Definition & Meaning for Kids
Meaning 1
Part of speech: Verb
reduce in worth or character, usually verbally
Example: She tends to put down younger women colleagues; His critics took him down after the lecture
Synonyms
Take down, Disgrace, Demean, Put down, Degrade
🌱 Word Origin (Etymology)
The word "demean" comes from Latin minārī. It started in Vulgar Latin *mināre. Then it appeared in Old French demener. Later, people used it in Anglo-Norman demener. After that, it was Middle English demenen. Over time, it became Old English ġemǣne. Finally, it reached Middle English mene.
🔗 Related Words
de – A related word in the same word family.
mean – A related word in the same word family.
bemean – A related word in the same word family.
🧩 Fun Fact
Words that pass through many languages often accumulate layers of meaning from each culture.