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The history of demeanor begins with a threat: the word has its roots in Latin minārī, “to threaten.” A form of that word was used in contexts having to do with driving animals—that is, impelling them to move—and from this word developed more recent ancestors having to do with leading, guiding, and behaving. By the 14th century, English had a adopted a word out of this lineage: the verb demean meaning “to conduct or behave (oneself) usually in a proper manner.” (Another demean, defined as “to lower in character, status, or reputation,” entered the language later by means of another root.) The noun demeanor was formed in the following century through the addition of the suffix -or.
Examples of demeanor in a Sentence
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
her warm demeanor made us feel at home
Michael Russo, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Unfortunately for Duffy, Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a lawmaker whose mild demeanor masks her habit of coming to a debate with hard information in hand, was in the room.
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
But despite her charming demeanor, the sweet girl has been waiting a long time for a place to call her own, the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) says.
—Tj MacIas, Miami Herald, 20 May 2025
Just a glass of water, a soft-spoken demeanor, and 90 minutes of insights from someone who’s helped build a company that just crossed $100 million in annual recurring revenue.
—Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for demeanor
Cite this Entry
“Demeanor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demeanor. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
demeanor
noun
Legal Definition
demeanor
noun
Note: A jury may consider a witness's demeanor on the stand in determining the witness's credibility.
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