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”; see dismiss

Explanation

Resort to the noun demise when you describe the end, termination, or death of something or someone. Demise is mostly used in medical or legal language, or when someone wants to sound either formal or euphemistic. The word entered English from French demettre which means "to dismiss," from the Latin word mittere, meaning "let go, send." And you might think, after reading this quote from E. Phillips Oppenheim, that demise sounds somewhat old-fashioned: "That my demise would have been a relief to you I can, of course, easily believe, but the means — they surely were not worthy of your ingenuity."

Example Sentences

Similar questions arose five years ago during the demise of meme stocks, which got that name because they rise and fall with social media buzz and not business fundamentals.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Are you ready for all the tears of your fans once they witness Frenchie’s demise?

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Avelo also announced discounted fares for some routes through November in light of Spirit’s demise, and a rewards-program match for some of Spirit’s loyalty members through the end of the month.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

The demise of Spirit Airlines is a tragedy for its 15,000 or so employees, though at least taxpayers weren’t forced to pay for a bailout.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

She herself was preoccupied—by the births of their sons, by the family setbacks after Papa was jailed, by Papa’s sad demise and death, by their own numer-ous business failures.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

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