demeanour
UK[dɪˈmiːnə]US[dɪˈmiːnər]
n
The way that someone looks, behaves, or speaks.
Morpheme Breakdown
de
mean
our
de
completely, thoroughly
mean
our
Etymology
The word 'demeanour' originates from the Old French verb demener ("to conduct, guide, manage"), which itself was formed from the intensive prefix de- and mener ("to lead"). The core Latin root is mināre, meaning "to drive (animals)", which evolved from the earlier minārī ("to threaten, project"). This semantic journey from the literal act of driving or conducting animals to the abstract concept of conducting oneself reflects a shift from external action to internal bearing. The suffix -our (from Latin -or) was added to form a noun describing the outward manifestation of one's conduct. Thus, demeanour logically denotes the complete manner in which one presents and carries oneself.
Analysis
Structure: de + mean + our
- de-: A prefix of Latin origin, here meaning "completely, thoroughly".
- mean: From Old French mesner (to lead, conduct), from Latin mināre (to drive animals), from minārī (to threaten).
- -our: A noun-forming suffix of Old French/Latin origin (-or), indicating a state, condition, or quality.
Examples
His calm demeanour helped to defuse the tense situation.
She maintained a professional demeanour throughout the difficult interview.
The suspect's nervous demeanour attracted the attention of the police officers.