demote

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /dɪˈmoʊt/ UK /dɪˈməʊt/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to reduce to a lower rank or position

They demoted him from manager to assistant after the error.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to reduce to a lower rank... downgraderelegate lower degrade bust

Opposites

promote elevate upgrade advance

Word family

Derived forms demotiondemoteddemoting

Related forms promote motion remote

Etymology

A late 19th-century American formation from de- ('down') plus the -mote of promote, from Latin movere ('to move').

de- Latin movere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

# demote

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** dɪˈmoʊt
**IPA (UK):** dɪˈməʊt

## Meanings
1. to reduce to a lower rank or position

## Examples
- They demoted him from manager to assistant after the error.

## Synonyms
- downgrade
- relegate
- lower
- degrade
- bust

## Antonyms
- promote
- elevate
- upgrade
- advance

## Derived Forms
- demotion
- demoted
- demoting

## Related Forms
- promote
- motion
- remote

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: de-
- Root: movere

## Etymology
A late 19th-century American formation from de- ('down') plus the -mote of promote, from Latin movere ('to move').

## AI Etymology
Demote is a late 19th-century American formation from de- ('down') plus the -mote of promote, from Latin movere ('to move'). The historical trail runs through Latin de- and Latin movere. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means to reduce to a lower rank or position. Derived formations include demotion, demoted, demoting; related forms include promote, motion, remote.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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demote

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