English Explanatory Dictionary

demean

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To debase; to lower; to degrade.
  2. To humble; to humiliate.
  3. To mortify.
verb
  1. To manage; to conduct; to treat.
  2. To conduct; to behave; to comport; followed by the reflexive pronoun.
noun
  1. Management; treatment.
  2. Behavior; conduct; bearing; demeanor.
noun
  1. demesne.
  2. resources; means.
verb
  1. To subtract the mean from (a value, or every observation in a data set).

Pronunciation

/dɪˈmiːn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Mélange a trois-demean.wav /ˌdiːˈmiːn/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-demean2.wav

Word forms

demean demeans demeaning demeaned

Etymology

(1595) From de- + mean (“lowly, base, common”), from Middle English mene, aphetic variation of imene (“mean, base, common”), from Old English ġemǣne (“mean, common”). Compare English bemean.

Synonyms

abase bring down to size cut down to size debase defame degrade demean demote depress discredit disgrace dishonour disparage downgrade embase give a bad name humble humiliate knock down to size put someone in their place reduce relegate sink slur trim down to size whittle down to size bring low embarrass mortify abash confuse confound disconcert discomfit lower put to shame shame

Antonyms

aggrandize glorify

Related words

abash demeanor

Derived words

demeaner misdemean

Translations

Bulgarian: унижавам Dutch: verlagen Dutch: vernederen Dutch: kleineren Finnish: alentaa Finnish: halventaa German: herabwürdigen German: entwürdigen German: erniedrigen German: herabsetzen Japanese: 貶める Māori: whakatūtūā Māori: whakatautauhea Māori: whakapāpaku Spanish: menospreciar Spanish: denigrar Spanish: detraer Dutch: neerhalen Dutch: vernederen Finnish: alentaa Finnish: halventaa Finnish: vähätellä German: erniedrigen German: herabwürdigen German: herabsetzen Italian: svilire Spanish: degradar Spanish: menospreciar Spanish: humillar
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