demote

American  

[dih-moht] / dɪˈmoʊt /

verb (used with object)

demoted, demoting

1. to reduce to a lower grade, rank, class, or position (opposed to promote).

   They demoted the careless waiter to busboy.

---

demote British  

/ dɪˈməʊt /

verb

1. (tr) to lower in rank or position; relegate

---

Other Word Forms

• demotion
  noun

Etymology

Origin of demote

An Americanism dating back to 1890–95; de- + (pro)mote

Explanation

To demote someone is to move them into a less important job. Your coffee shop boss might demote you to wiping tables if your attempts to froth milk and pull espresso shots continuously fail. When your employer demotes you, she assigns you an easier task or even an entirely new, lower-ranked position. You may even earn less money. In the military, to demote is to move a soldier down in rank, usually as a punishment. The opposite of demote is promote, which came first. The prefix de- gives the word a sense of "down" or "down from."

Example Sentences

While some travelers are magnetically attracted by the Demote speck on the map and by the isolation of surrounding ocean, others are drawn by the large, solid patches and the isolation of the landlocked interior.

From Time Magazine Archive

Related Words

• bump
• dismiss
• relegate