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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
Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
McGee’s death comes as a shock to those close to the starting safety, who was known for his wide smile and hard-working demeanor.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 23 Apr. 2025
The 266th pope led with humble demeanor and lived a modest lifestyle — choices that stood in contrast to some previous popes.
—Lauren Costantino, Miami Herald, 21 Apr. 2025
Then there’s Jordan, who leads as identical twins, Smoke and Stack, whose contrasting demeanors are powered by the common ground of love and loyalty.
—Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 18 Apr. 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 30 Apr. 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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