demure

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /dɪˈmjʊr/ UK /dɪˈmjʊə/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
reserved, modest, and shy

She gave a demure smile and looked away.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · reserved, modest, and shy modest reserved shy coy reticent bashful sedate

Opposites

brazen forward bold immodest brash

Word family

Forms demurelydemureness

Derived forms demurelydemureness

Related forms maturemure

Etymology

From Middle English demure, perhaps from Old French demoré ('grave, settled'), past participle of demorer ('to delay, stay'), from Latin demorari ('to linger'); influenced by Old French mur ('mature, ripe'), from Latin maturus.

demorer Old French demorari Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# demure

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈmjʊr/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈmjʊə/

## Meanings
1. reserved, modest, and shy

## Examples
- She gave a demure smile and looked away.

## Synonyms
- modest
- reserved
- shy
- coy
- reticent
- bashful
- sedate

## Antonyms
- brazen
- forward
- bold
- immodest
- brash

## Derived Forms
- demurely
- demureness

## Related Forms
- mature
- mure

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: demorer
- Root: demorari

## Etymology
From Middle English demure, perhaps from Old French demoré ('grave, settled'), past participle of demorer ('to delay, stay'), from Latin demorari ('to linger'); influenced by Old French mur ('mature, ripe'), from Latin maturus.

## AI Etymology
Demure is from Middle English demure, perhaps from Old French demoré ('grave, settled'), past participle of demorer ('to delay, stay'), from Latin demorari ('to linger'); influenced by Old French mur ('mature, ripe'), from Latin maturus. In present-day use, it means reserved, modest, and shy. Derived formations include demurely and demureness. Related vocabulary includes mature and mure.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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