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

News of millennial feminism’s demise has been met with much applause.

From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026

China’s economic and military ascendance after the Soviet Union’s demise changed that thinking.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

It may be that one of NCP's biggest strengths - the hundreds of car parks it runs across the UK - actually ended up speeding up its demise.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

What are we to make, then, of the peculiar story of the almost silent demise of the two-spheres theory?

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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