demi

See also: demi-, Demi, and de-mi

English

Etymology

From Middle English demi, from Anglo-Norman demi, from Latin dimidius. Literally, “half”.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

demi (plural demis)

1. Alternative spelling of demy.
2. (slang) A fifty pence piece.
3. A bottle of wine containing 0.375 liters of fluid, half the volume of a standard bottle; a split.
4. A small glass used chiefly in France (especially for beer) holding 250 mililiters.
   • 1928, Jean Rhys, Quartet, Penguin, published 2000, page 34:

     The place was empty save for a big man who was sitting opposite drinking a demi of dark beer.

   • 2012, Time Out Paris, London: Time Out Guides, →ISBN, page 234:

     A croque-monsieur will set you back €6, a steak €12.50, and a demi of Stella €3.

Adjective

demi (comparative more demi, superlative most demi)

1. (informal) Demisexual.
   • 2017, Tayari Jones, Atlanta Noir, →ISBN:

     “[...] I totally think she's demi.” “What?” “Demisexual? She only likes fucking people she's in love with, whereas I,” Maddie said, moving closer to Jordan, “like fucking anything and anyone. Everyone has such hang-ups about sex, it's like pathetic, you know? We are just, like, totally animals after all, evolved monkeys. I'm all for giving in to my primal instincts.”

Anagrams

• Diem, Dime, IMed, dime, idem, meid

French

Etymology

Inherited from Vulgar Latin *dimedius, from Latin dīmidius.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /də.mi/

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

demi (feminine demie, masculine plural demis, feminine plural demies)

1. half

Noun

French numbers ^(edit)

←  1	2	3  →
Cardinal: deux     Ordinal: deuxième, second     Ordinal abbreviation: 2e, 2d, (nonstandard) 2ème     Multiplier: double     Fractional: demi, moitié
French Wikipedia article on 2

demi m (plural demis)

1. half (fraction)
2. (used in time) half (half-hour)

   Il est cinq heures et demie.

   It is half past five.

   Elle sera là dans une demi-heure.

   She will be here in half an hour.

   (where “demi” indicates a fraction and where there is no agreement in gender and number)

3. (Polynesia, France) a person of multiracial descent, usually a person with French and other non-European origin; mixed-race
4. a glass of beer of 250 ml volume
5. (Quebec, real estate) bathroom

   Appartements 3 1/2 pièces à louer à Montréal

   3.5 room apartments (an apartment unit with a kitchen, a bedroom and a living room, plus a bathroom) for rent in Montreal

Derived terms

• à demi
• à malin, malin et demi
• demi de mêlée
• demi d’ouverture

 

See also

• moitié

Further reading

• “demi”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• dîme, idem

Indonesian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [dəˈmi]
• Hyphenation: dê‧mi

Preposition

demi

1. For the sake of, for something's sake.
   1. (by extension) In the name of (something/someone).
2. Per, by; to each, in each (used in expressing ratios of units).

   Synonyms: bagi, per

3. (uncommon) When, whereupon, after which.
4. (uncommon, literary or archaic) As if, as though

   Synonyms: bagai, laksana, seperti

Further reading

• “demi” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈdeː.miː/, [ˈd̪eːmiː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈde.mi/, [ˈd̪ɛːmi]

Etymology 1

See dēmō (“I remove, take away, or subtract”).

Verb

dēmī

1. present passive infinitive of dēmō

Etymology 2

See dēmos (“a tract of land”, “[the common] people”).

Noun

dēmī m

1. inflection of dēmos:
   1. genitive singular
   2. nominative/vocative plural

Turkish

Phrase

demi

1. Misspelling of de mi.
   • 2023 January 9, Twitter.com‎^[1], archived from the original on January 11, 2023:

     şıkka bak “sen demi” puahahwhajaahsjs

     look at the option "youtoo?" hahahah

2. Nonstandard spelling of değil mi.

   Synonym: dimi