demi-

1. a combining form appearing in loanwords from French meaning “half ” ( demilune ), “lesser” ( demitasse ), or sometimes used with a pejorative sense ( demimonde ); on this model, also prefixed to words of English origin ( demigod ).

demi-

prefix

1. half Compare hemi- semi-

   demirelief

2. of less than full size, status, or rank

   demigod

Word History and Origins

Origin of demi-¹

< French, combining form representing demi (adj.; also noun and adv.) < Vulgar Latin *dīmedius, for Latin dīmidius half, equivalent to dī- di- ² + medius middle

Word History and Origins

Origin of demi-¹

via French from Medieval Latin dīmedius, from Latin dīmīdius half, from dis- apart + medius middle

Example Sentences

It was a year of extraordinary performances by women, dominant and electrifying, and those would also include our two runners-up, Fernanda Torres in “I’m Still Here” and, my personal favorite of the bunch, Demi Moore, vulnerable and furious in “The Substance.”

From Los Angeles Times

She will take on others including Demi Moore, who has won praise for playing a veteran Hollywood star who goes to extreme lengths to recapture her youth in body horror The Substance.

From BBC

“But Demi was just looking very close in the mirror always, all the way through, and that was really great. That’s the best you can have.”

From Los Angeles Times

Demi Moore has drawn the most focused awards attention of her career for her bold performance in “The Substance” as actor and fitness guru Elisabeth Sparkle, who takes an illicit drug in an attempt to retrieve her youth.

From Los Angeles Times

In the Monday edition of his newsletter, Times columnist Glenn Whipp spends time with Demi Moore and loves the choice of Conan O’Brien as host of the 97th Oscars.

From Los Angeles Times