# demise

/dɪˈmaɪz/ (US) · /dɪmˈaɪz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/demise
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. death

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a formal word for a person's death.

For teachers: the death of a person, typically used in formal or literary contexts to convey gravity.

- The entire nation mourned the sudden demise of the beloved leader.
- Upon the sovereign's demise, the crown was immediately transferred to the heir apparent according to constitutional protocol.

### 3. transfer of property

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

the legal transfer of land or a building to someone else for a period of time.

For teachers: the conveyance or transfer of an estate by lease or will for a specified term.

- The lawyer explained the demise of the estate to the family members.
- The deed of demise ensured that the property would remain under the control of the charitable trust for the next ninety-nine years.

### 4. satellite disintegration

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the way a satellite breaks apart when it falls back into the Earth's atmosphere.

For teachers: the atmospheric disintegration of a spacecraft or satellite component during re-entry.

- Scientists tracked the satellite's demise as it burned up over the Pacific Ocean.
- Engineers designed the structural components to ensure a predictable demise during re-entry, minimizing the risk of large debris reaching the surface.

### 5. to lease or transfer

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

to give or leave property to someone in a legal document like a will.

For teachers: to convey or grant an estate by will or lease. Transitive — requires a direct object.

- The property was demised to the local council for use as a public park.
- The testator sought to demise the ancestral lands to a distant relative, bypassing the immediate family through a complex legal instrument.

## Examples

- The rise of the internet led to the demise of many local newspapers.
- Market analysts pointed to poor management and a lack of innovation as the primary causes for the company's sudden demise.
- Historians continue to debate whether the empire's demise was the result of external pressures or a slow internal decay of its political institutions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.