demi-monde

demi-monde
demi-monde 1855, also demimonde, from Fr. demi-monde "so-so society," lit. "half-world," from DEMI- (Cf. demi-) "half" + monde, from L. mundus "world" (see MUNDANE (Cf. mundane)). Popularized by use as title of a comedy by Alexandre Dumas fils (1824-1895). Dumas' Demi-Monde "is the link between good and bad society ... the world of compromised women, a social limbo, the inmates of which ... are perpetually struggling to emerge into the paradise of honest and respectable ladies" ["Fraser's Magazine," 1855]. Not properly used of courtesans. Cf. 18th-century English demi-rep (1749, the second element short for REPUTATION (Cf. reputation)), defined as "a woman that intrigues with every man she likes, under the name and appearance of virtue ... in short, whom every body knows to be what no body calls her" [Fielding].

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • demi-monde — [ d(ə)mimɔ̃d ] n. m. • 1789; de demi et monde ♦ Anciennt Société de femmes légères, de mœurs équivoques, et de ceux qui les fréquentent. Les demi mondes de la Belle Époque. ● demi monde, demi mondes nom masculin Vieux. Ensemble des femmes… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Demi monde — Monde Monde (m[^o]Nd), n. [F. See {Mundane}.] The world; a globe as an ensign of royalty. [R.] A. Drummond. [1913 Webster] {Le beau monde} [F.], fashionable society. See {Beau monde}. {Demi monde}. See {Demimonde}. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Demi-monde — (frz., spr. d mi mongd, »Halbwelt«), nach einem Drama (1855) von Dumas dem Jüngern elegant auftretende, aber anrüchige Frauenzimmer …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • demi-monde — s. m. 1. Conjunto de pessoas consideradas de caráter duvidoso. 2. Classe média ou burguesa, considerada como querendo imitar a grande roda ou a alta sociedade.   ‣ Etimologia: palavra francesa …   Dicionário da Língua Portuguesa

  • demi-monde — ► NOUN ▪ a group considered to be on the fringes of respectable society. ORIGIN French, half world …   English terms dictionary

  • Demi Monde Bizarros — Studio album by Notre Dame Released February 16, 2004 Genre Goth Rock Heavy Metal Black Metal …   Wikipedia

  • demi-monde — de·mi mon·de s.m.inv. ES fr. {{wmetafile0}} spec. nell Ottocento, ambiente sociale delle mantenute d alto bordo {{line}} {{/line}} DATA: 1858. ETIMO: comp. di demi mezzo e monde alta società …   Dizionario italiano

  • demi-monde —   n. class of women of doubtful reputation.    ♦ demi mondain, a.    ♦ demi    ♦ mondaine, n. woman of that class …   Dictionary of difficult words

  • demi-monde — (entrée créée par le supplément) (de mi mon d ) s. m. Voy. monde 1, n° 20 …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • DEMI-MONDE —    a class in Parisian society dressing in a fashionable style, but of questionable morals …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

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