Word
demeanor
Phoneticsde·meanor
US/dɪˈminɝ/
UK/dɪmˈiːnɐ/
UK spelling · demeanour
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the way you look and act, which shows people your personality or how you are feeling.
n. outward behaviour or bearing; the way in which a person conducts themselves. Often reflects an underlying emotional state or social status.
Examples
“He maintained a calm demeanor even during the difficult meeting.”
“The doctor's professional demeanor immediately put the nervous patient at ease.”
“Despite the intense scrutiny of the courtroom, the witness maintained a stoic demeanor that made it difficult for the jury to gauge her true reaction to the evidence.”
Examples
simple
“He maintained a calm demeanor even during the difficult meeting.”
contextual
“The doctor's professional demeanor immediately put the nervous patient at ease.”
complex
“Despite the intense scrutiny of the courtroom, the witness maintained a stoic demeanor that made it difficult for the jury to gauge her true reaction to the evidence.”
Usage
Usually uncountable when referring to a person's general manner; occasionally used with an adjective to describe a specific style of behavior.
Real-World Examples
“It was the first time the public saw the warm and unpretentious demeanor of the executive, who is filling the shoes of Tim Cook and his predecessor, Steve Jobs, at the $4.5tn tech giant.” “But despite her giggling, girlish demeanour, Cheka has big, often unheard things to say about the state of comedy.” “Howe perhaps underestimated the immense determination of a player whose reserved demeanour he possibly mistook for malleability.” “Just an individual with a calm demeanor, polite manners, a commendable aim to seek "common sense, bipartisan solutions," and a charming little hairstyle.” Etymology
From Middle English demenure, from the verb Middle English demenen, demeinen (“to handle, manage”), from Old French demener (“to guide, conduct”), from de- + mener (“to conduct, lead”), from Latin *mināre (“to drive”) and minor (“to project or jut forth”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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