demand
UK[dɪˈmɑːnd]US[dɪˈmænd]
v
To ask for something forcefully, in a way that shows you expect to get it.
v
To need a particular quality, skill, or person in order to be done successfully.
n
A very firm request for something.
n
The desire of customers for particular goods or services.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
mand
de
completely
mand
order
Etymology
The word "demand" entered English in the 13th century from Old French demander, meaning "to request or ask." Its ultimate source is the Latin verb demandare, which was a compound of the intensive prefix de- ("thoroughly") and mandare ("to order, entrust"). The literal sense of mandare was "to give (dare) into one's hand (manus)," implying a formal handing over of a charge or command. Over time, the meaning shifted from the authoritative act of "entrusting an order" to the more insistent act of "asking with authority." This evolution reflects the word's journey from a concrete, legalistic action in Latin to its modern abstract senses of forceful request and economic necessity.
Analysis
Structure: de (completely) + mand (order)
- de: A Latin prefix meaning "completely, thoroughly, away, off."
- mand: From Latin mandare meaning "to order, entrust, commit to one's charge," itself from manus ("hand") + dare ("to give").
Examples
The workers demanded better pay and safer conditions.
This complex surgery demands a highly skilled surgeon.
There is a high demand for renewable energy technology.