deme
[deem]
- one of the administrative divisions of ancient Attica and of modern Greece.
- Biology. a local population of organisms of the same kind, especially one in which the genetic mix is similar throughout the group.
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Origin of deme
First recorded in 1620–30, deme is from the Greek word dêmos a district, the people, commons
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for deme
Historical Examples of deme
But we do no violence to the construction if we say that means "going (forth) to my deme."
Polemon, deme Stiria, tribe Pandionis; will that do for you?
The Works of Lucian of Samosata, v. 4Lucian of Samosata
To be a citizen of the state it was necessary to be a citizen of a deme.
Ancient SocietyLewis Henry Morgan
Ne I ne may nat for swiche honours Iugen hem wori of reuerence at I deme and holde vnwori to han ilke same honours.
Or ellis how moche is wore e diuyne prescience more an e oppinioun of mankynde yif so be at it deme e inges vncerteyne as men don.
deme
- (in preclassical Greece) the territory inhabited by a tribe
- (in ancient Attica) a geographical unit of local government
- biology a group of individuals within a species that possess particular characteristics of cytology, genetics, etc
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Word Origin for deme
C19: from Greek dēmos district in local government, the populace
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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deme
[dēm]
- A small, locally interbreeding group of organisms within a larger population. Demes are isolated reproductively from other members of their species, although the isolation may only be partial and is not necessarily permanent. Because they share a somewhat restricted gene pool, members of a deme generally differ morphologically to some degree from members of other demes. See also population.
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The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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