deme
Americannoun
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one of the administrative divisions of ancient Attica and of modern Greece.
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Biology. a local population of organisms of the same kind, especially one in which the genetic mix is similar throughout the group.
noun
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(in preclassical Greece) the territory inhabited by a tribe
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(in ancient Attica) a geographical unit of local government
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biology a group of individuals within a species that possess particular characteristics of cytology, genetics, etc
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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.
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See also population
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deme
First recorded in 1620–30, deme is from the Greek word dêmos a district, the people, commons
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
When Feldstein left aca deme for Washington in the summer of 1982, he entered a foreign world.
From Time Magazine Archive
So forto deme in mannes wit, 7730 It helpeth more a man to have His oghne good, than forto crave Of othre men and make him bounde, Wher elles he mai stonde unbounde.
From Confessio Amantis, or, Tales of the Seven Deadly Sins by Macaulay, G. C. (George Campbell)
Certainly, if the reading is correct, in the light of all the remainder of the comedy we should naturally translate: "in the sixth year, having come into my deme, I salute you gladly."
From The American Journal of Archaeology, 1893-1 by Various
Sym Suresby here perchance shal therof deme som yll, 61 And shall suspect in me some point of naughtinesse, And they come hitherward.
From Roister Doister Written, probably also represented, before 1553. Carefully edited from the unique copy, now at Eton College by Arber, Edward
Mi meoster is to do riht forte demen ant ich deme me seolf þ̵ ich þurh me ne do hit nawt; for al þ̵ god is of godd þ̵ we her 190 habbeð.
From Selections from early Middle English, 1130-1250 Part I: Texts by Hall, Joseph
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
