demise

American  

[dih-mahyz] / dɪˈmaɪz /

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.

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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 British  

/ 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 )

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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

Etymology

Origin of demise

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

Example Sentences

Sora’s demise points to more than the collapse of a big-media financial deal.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Plus, Apple’s autocorrect fix, Sora’s untimely demise, Nvidia’s iron grip on the AI industry and the 10-year feud shaping AI’s future.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

Amid the white-out winters of New York, a man whose bones had never known the bite of cold found not a sanctuary but demise.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

Japan’s Nippon TV, despite the fears of the demise of the linear television business as streaming services continue to gain ground.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

And often the court waited until the demise of two or three potters before searching out their replacements.

From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park

Related Words

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