adjective
- that demeans; debasing; degrading: Being forced to apologize when I had done nothing wrong was a demeaning task.
verb (used with object)
- to lower in dignity, honor, or standing; debase: He demeaned himself by accepting the bribe.
verb (used with object)
- to conduct or behave (oneself) in a specified manner.
noun
- Archaic. demeanor.
verb
- (tr) to lower (oneself) in dignity, status, or character; humble; debase
verb
- (tr) rare to behave or conduct (oneself) in a specified way
1829, present participle adjective from demean (v.). Related: Demeaningly.
“lower in dignity,” c.1600, perhaps from de- “down” + mean (adj.) and modeled on debase. Indistinguishable in some uses from obsolete demean (see demeanor) which influenced it and may be its true source. Related: Demeaned; demeaning.