deme
[ deem ]
/ dim /
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noun
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
OTHER WORDS FROM deme
dem·ic [dem-ik, dee-mik], /ˈdɛm ɪk, ˈdi mɪk/, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
British Dictionary definitions for deme
deme
/ (diːm) /
noun
- (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
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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Scientific definitions for deme
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.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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