demise

[ dih-mahyz ]
See synonyms for demise on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. death or decease.

  2. termination of existence or operation: the demise of the empire.

  1. Law.

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

    • a conveyance or transfer of an estate.

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

verb (used with object),de·mised, de·mis·ing.
  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),de·mised, de·mis·ing.
  1. Law. to pass by bequest, inheritance, or succession.

Origin of demise

1
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

Other words from demise

  • de·mis·a·bil·i·ty, noun
  • de·mis·a·ble, adjective
  • non·de·mise, noun
  • un·de·mised, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for demise

demise

/ (dɪˈmaɪz) /


noun
  1. failure or termination: the demise of one's hopes

  2. a euphemistic or formal word for death

  1. property law

    • a transfer of an estate by lease

    • the passing or transfer of an estate on the death of the owner

  2. 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

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

Origin of demise

1
C16: from Old French, feminine of demis dismissed, from demettre to send away, from Latin dīmittere; see dismiss

Derived forms of demise

  • demisable, adjective

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