demean
demean
Pronunciation
Phonetic Spelling and Syllabification for "demean"
The IPA phonetic spelling for the word "demean" is /d\ɪˈmiːn/ (or /diːˈmiːn/).
Syllable Breakdown
The word "demean" is divided into two syllables: de-mean.
First Syllable: /dɪ/ (or /diː/)
The initial sound is the voiced alveolar stop: /d/ (as in "day").
Followed by the short "i" sound or a longer "ee" sound, often reduced: /ɪ/ (as in "ship") or /iː/ (as in "sheep").
Second Syllable: /miːn/
The onset is the voiced bilabial nasal: /m/ (as in "moon").
Followed by the long "ee" vowel sound: /iː/ (as in "sheep").
The final sound is the voiced alveolar nasal: /n/ (as in "name").
Word Form Variations
The term demean is primarily used as a verb. The word form variations are:
Simple Form (Base): demean
Third-Person Singular Present Tense: demeans
Present Participle: demeaning
Simple Past Tense: demeaned
Past Participle: demeaned
Other related words, which are different parts of speech derived from the verb, include:
Adjective: demeaning
Noun (related but different word): demeanor (meaning behavior or conduct)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb (demean)
To cause a severe loss of dignity and respect for someone or something. This involves an action that lowers one's social standing, honor, or character, often through insult, degradation, or condescension.
Synonyms: degrade, debase, humble, humiliate, disgrace, abase.
Antonyms: dignify, honor, elevate, ennoble, exalt.
(Reflexive/Archaic): To conduct or behave oneself in a specified manner.
Synonyms: behave, comport, conduct oneself.
Antonyms: No direct antonyms for this usage, as it describes a manner of behavior rather than a positive/negative action.
Adjective (demeaning)
Descriptive of an action, statement, or situation that causes someone to feel a loss of dignity or respect; humiliating.
Synonyms: degrading, humiliating, insulting, shameful, belittling, derogatory.
Antonyms: uplifting, flattering, honoring, respectful, dignified.
Examples of Use
📰 News and Online Publications (Verb and Adjective)
Verb (Demeans): "Many critics argue that the politician's rhetoric demeans the seriousness of the economic crisis, turning it into a purely partisan issue rather than a matter of national welfare."
Adjective (Demeaning): "The company faced backlash after an internal memo referred to minimum wage jobs as 'menial and demeaning work,' sparking a debate over workplace dignity (The Guardian, March 2024)."
Verb (Demean): "The op-ed asked whether constantly focusing on trivial details in a leader's personal life might demean the office they hold, shifting focus from policy to gossip."
📚 Books and Literature (Verb)
Verb (Demeaned): "The character felt profoundly demeaned by the public reprimand, as if all his professional achievements had been reduced to nothing by a single, harsh judgment."
Verb (Demean oneself): "She vowed never to demean herself by begging for a promotion, choosing instead to let her performance speak for itself, even if it meant a slower ascent up the corporate ladder."
🎬 Entertainment and Media Platforms (Adjective)
Adjective (Demeaning): "A film review criticized the new comedy for relying on lazy stereotypes, stating, 'The entire subplot is not just unfunny, it is deeply demeaning to the demographic it attempts to satirize' (Variety, May 2023)."
Adjective (Demeaning): "During the interview, the actor discussed their decision to turn down a specific role, explaining that the script contained 'unnecessarily demeaning portrayals of women' and that they could not, in good conscience, accept it."
🗣️ General Public Discourse (Adjective)
Adjective (Demeaning): In a widely shared social media discussion about public etiquette, one user commented, "I find the practice of loudly correcting strangers' grammar in public to be exceptionally demeaning and completely unhelpful."
10 Famous Quotes Using Demean
“I have no right, by anything I do or say, to demean a human being in his own eyes.” (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
“The moment anyone tries to demean or degrade you in any way, you have to know how great you are.” (Cicely Tyson)
“Meanness demeans the demeaner far more than the demeaned.” (Malcolm S. Forbes)
“Every man possesses the Buddha-nature. Do not demean yourselves.” (Dōgen)
“For happily the Government of the United States... requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens.” (George Washington, Letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, August 1790)
“It does not demean men to want to be what they imagine the noblest men to have been.” (Barry Lopez)
“A wife who obsesses on 'fixing' her husband only succeeds in demeaning him.” (Michael Ben Zehabe)
“The whole structure of the relationship was demeaning.” (John Piper)
“Sexism is bad enough when it’s men demeaning women. When women do it to other women, it’s even more deflating.” (Mel Robbins)
“The demeaning of dignity is almost the only reason for a fight.” (Simon Soloveychik)
Etymology
The word "demean" actually has two separate origins that merged in English, which is why it has slightly different—though related—meanings today.
Origin 1: To Lower or Degrade
This is the most common meaning of "demean" today: to lower in dignity or status.
Prefix: This word comes from the prefix de- (meaning "down" or "away") combined with the English word mean (in the older sense of "lowly, common, or base").
Modeling: It was likely modeled on the existing word debase.
First Known Use: This version of the word first appeared in English around the late 16th century (circa 1600), with the meaning "to lower in quality or character."
The modern feeling of insult is directly tied to the idea of pulling someone or something down to a low (mean) level.
Origin 2: To Behave or Conduct Oneself
This is the older and now less common (often archaic) meaning of "demean," which is still seen in the related noun "demeanor": to conduct or behave oneself in a certain way.
Root: This meaning comes to English from Old French:
Old French: demener (meaning "to lead, to conduct, or to handle").
Latin Root: This French word traces back to the Latin verb mināre (meaning "to drive" or "to threaten").
First Known Use: This verb entered English much earlier, around the late 13th century (circa 1275-1300).
Original Meaning: Its initial meaning was simply "to manage, conduct, or rule." Later, it shifted to the reflexive sense, "to conduct or behave oneself."
In summary:
Older Verb (1200s): Demean meant "to behave," which gives us demeanor.
Newer Verb (1600s): Demean meant "to degrade," derived from adding the prefix de- to the adjective mean (lowly).
Phrases + Idioms Containing Demean
I. Common Uses of "Demean"
These phrases highlight the most typical contexts in which the word is used:
To demean oneself (by doing something): To lower one's dignity or status through a specific action, often an action considered beneath one.
Example: She refused to demean herself by gossiping with her rival.
To be demeaning to: To be insulting or humiliating toward a person or group.
Example: His public criticism was demeaning to the entire team.
To demean the office/institution: To act in a way that reduces respect for a position or organization.
Example: The scandal served to demean the office of the mayor.
Demeaning language/treatment: The most common adjective phrase, referring to communication or behavior that is insulting.
Example: The workers filed a complaint about the supervisor's demeaning language.
II. Idioms/Phrases Using Synonyms for Similar Effect
Since "demean" is not highly idiomatic, its synonym degrade appears in similar emotional or social contexts, often for the sake of emphasis:
To kiss the dirt (degrade oneself): To humble oneself excessively or abjectly.
Similar effect: They were forced to degrade themselves by kissing the dirt for the company's favor.
Beneath one’s dignity (demeaning): Describing an action considered too low or humiliating for a person to perform.
Similar effect: She viewed manual labor as beneath her dignity (or, highly demeaning).
To bring someone down a peg (or two): To humble someone, especially after they have been arrogant or boastful.
Similar effect: His public failure brought him down a peg and was quite demeaning to his image.
A degrading experience: An event that causes a significant loss of self-respect.
Similar effect: Standing in line for hours for a small handout was a degrading experience.
To eat humble pie (demean oneself): To admit one's error and apologize humbly.
Similar effect: After being proven wrong, he had to eat humble pie and demean himself before the board.
A slap in the face (demeaning): An action that causes offense or insult due to a lack of respect.
Similar effect: The minimal pay increase was a slap in the face, and demeaning given their hard work.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of demean from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
