demimonde

American  

[dem-ee-mond, duh-mee-mawnd] / ˈdɛm iˌmɒnd, də miˈmɔ̃d /

noun

1. (especially during the last half of the 19th century) a class of women who have lost their standing in respectable society because of indiscreet behavior or sexual promiscuity.

2. a demimondaine.

3. prostitutes or courtesans in general.

4. a group whose activities are ethically or legally questionable.

   a demimonde of investigative journalists writing for the sensationalist tabloids.

5. a group characterized by lack of success or status.

   the literary demimonde.

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demimonde British  

/ ˌdɛmɪˈmɒnd, dəmimɔ̃d /

noun

1. (esp in the 19th century) those women considered to be outside respectable society, esp on account of sexual promiscuity

2. any social group considered to be not wholly respectable

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Etymology

Origin of demimonde

1850–55; < French, equivalent to demi- demi- + monde world (< Latin mundus )

Example Sentences

It was all a stimulating change from opera-house productions, which often lean on 18th-century elegance instead of exploring the seamy underside and corruption of the demimonde that is at the heart of the piece.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 17, 2026

She befriended the New York downtown demimonde, including Warhol.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2024

French bulldogs have a colorful, centuries-long history involving English lacemakers, the Parisian demimonde and Gilded Age American tourists who brought the dogs home.

From Seattle Times • May 7, 2023

You are eating spectacular bread while observing the most intriguing members of the demimonde stroll by.

From Salon • Jul. 3, 2022

Such a trick in China could but originate with the demimonde, yet it is taken up by certain of the Americans who are constantly seeking for variety.

From As A Chinaman Saw Us Passages from his Letters to a Friend at Home by Gratton, Henry Pearson