demise

[dih-mahyz]

noun

1. death or decease.

2. termination of existence or operation.

   the demise of the empire.

3. Law.

   1. a death or decease occasioning the transfer of an estate.

   2. a conveyance or transfer of an estate.

4. Government.,  transfer of sovereignty, as by the death or deposition of the sovereign.

verb (used with object)

demised, demising 

1. Law.,  to transfer (an estate or the like) for a limited time; lease.

2. Government.,  to transfer (sovereignty), as by the death or abdication of the sovereign.

verb (used without object)

demised, demising 

1. Law.,  to pass by bequest, inheritance, or succession.

demise

/ dɪˈmaɪz /

noun

1. failure or termination

   the demise of one's hopes

2. a euphemistic or formal word for death

3. property law

   1. a transfer of an estate by lease

   2. the passing or transfer of an estate on the death of the owner

4. the immediate transfer of sovereignty to a successor upon the death, abdication, etc, of a ruler (esp in the phrase demise of the crown )

verb

1. to transfer or be transferred by inheritance, will, or succession

2. (tr) property law to transfer (an estate, etc) for a limited period; lease

3. (tr) to transfer (sovereignty, a title, etc) by or as if by the death, deposition, etc, of a ruler

Other Word Forms

• demisability noun
• demisable adjective
• nondemise noun
• undemised adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of demise¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English demise, dimis(s)e, from Old French demis, past participle of desmetre, from Latin dīmittere “to send away, dismiss”; dismiss

Word History and Origins

Origin of demise¹

C16: from Old French, feminine of demis dismissed, from demettre to send away, from Latin dīmittere; see _dismiss

Example Sentences

Surprisingly, Elphaba fills the bucket up herself, to fake her own demise.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

All that being said, even before their buoyant off-year performance those widespread reports of Democrats’ demise were greatly ... well, we’ll leave that Mark Twain chestnut alone.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Whether it can withstand the demise of the country’s gold mining industry has yet to be seen.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The blame for their demise always goes to the bosses treating their own troops like fodder.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The general's demise on November 20, 1975 ended 36 years of authoritarian right-wing rule that followed a devastating 1936-1939 civil war which brought him to power.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• collapse 
• departure 
• dissolution 
• downfall 
• extinction 
• failure 
• passing 
• termination