demure

[dih-myoor]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR demure ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, de·mur·er, de·mur·est.

characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved.

affectedly or coyly decorous, sober, or sedate.

Origin of demure

1350–1400; Middle English dem(e)ur(e) well-mannered, grave < Anglo-French demuré, past participle of demurer to demur; perhaps influenced by Old French mur, mëur grave, mature (< Latin matūrus)

Related formsde·mure·ly, adverbde·mure·ness, nounun·de·mure, adjectiveun·de·mure·ly, adverbun·de·mure·ness, noun

Can be confuseddemur demure

Synonyms for demure

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR demure ON THESAURUS.COM

1. retiring. See modest.

Antonyms for demure

1, 2. indecorous.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for demurely

quietly, simply, plainly, humbly, purely, chastely, diffidently, shyly, unassumingly, unobtrusively, virtuously

Examples from the Web for demurely

Contemporary Examples of demurely

Demurely they poured drinks and politely tried to speak English.
Bar-Hopping With the Kyoto Geisha
Liza Foreman
September 1, 2014
Now that she has retired as CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, she can demurely admit “sometimes we pushed the envelope.”
The GOP's Mean Girls
Gail Sheehy
October 17, 2010
They are demurely dressed and stuffed into shiny shopping bags, soon to be tattered but reused in my new life.
The Bag Lady's Papers, Part III
Alexandra Penney
January 6, 2009

Historical Examples of demurely

When he reached the doorstep, Sidney was demurely seated and quite alone.
K
Mary Roberts Rinehart
"On that point she may form her own opinion," replied Inez demurely.
Fair Margaret
H. Rider Haggard
She was as demurely grave as ever, but his suspicions were again aroused.
The Portygee
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
"You must be awfully glad you're not a traveling salesman," she said demurely.
The Portygee
Joseph Crosby Lincoln
"You know I am a bachelor, Mr. Christian," said the lawyer, demurely.
A Son of Hagar
Sir Hall Caine

British Dictionary definitions for demurely

demure

adjective

sedate; decorous; reserved

affectedly modest or prim; coy

Derived Formsdemurely, adverbdemureness, noun

Word Origin for demure

C14: perhaps from Old French demorer to delay, linger; perhaps influenced by meur ripe, mature

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for demurely

demure

adj.

late 14c. (early 14c. as a surname), from Old French meur "mature, fully grown, ripe," hence "discreet," from Latin maturus "mature" (see mature (v.)) [OED]. The de- in this word is of uncertain meaning. Or possibly from Anglo-French demuré (Old French demoré), past participle of demorer "stay," and influenced by meur [Barnhart]. Or from Old French de (bon) murs "of good manners," from murs (Modern French moeurs) [Klein].