First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
demeanor
noun de·mean·or \di-ˈmē-nər\
: a person's appearance and behavior : the way someone seems to be to other people
Full Definition of DEMEANOR
: behavior toward others : outward manner
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Examples of DEMEANOR
- Staffs like the one at Veritas have come a long way from the days when sommeliers … intimidated diners with their overbearing demeanor and French accents. —Food & Wine, September 2002
- Sam himself, a quiet young man with a rather shy demeanor, was somewhat bemused by all this attention. —Lola Oberman, Bird Watcher's Digest, November/December 1994
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Origin of DEMEANOR
1demean (see 1demean)
Related to DEMEANOR
- Synonyms
- actions, address, bearing, comportment, conduct, behavior, deportment, geste (also gest) [archaic]
Synonym Discussion of DEMEANOR
bearing, deportment, demeanor, mien, manner, carriage mean the outward manifestation of personality or attitude. bearing is the most general of these words but now usually implies characteristic posture <a woman of regal bearing>. deportment suggests actions or behavior as formed by breeding or training <your deportment was atrocious>. demeanor suggests one's attitude toward others as expressed in outward behavior <the haughty demeanor of the headwaiter>. mien is a literary term referring both to bearing and demeanor <a mien of supreme self-satisfaction>. manner implies characteristic or customary way of moving and gesturing and addressing others <the imperious manner of a man used to giving orders>. carriage applies chiefly to habitual posture in standing or walking <the kind of carriage learned at boarding school>.
Rhymes with DEMEANOR
DEMEANOR Defined for Kids
demeanor
noun de·mean·or \di-ˈmē-nər\
Definition of DEMEANOR for Kids
: outward manner or behavior <a gentle demeanor>
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