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dement

dement

1 9.9
An old word for a person who is very confused and forgetful because of brain illness
  • noun
  • /dɪˈmɛnt/
  • Slur
translation icon : demente (ofensivo)

Examples

  • But you got a great dement place that can carry on without you, same magnify when you up there by Monday.

  • Russell recorded "Box of Visions" in the studio for a 1992 release, but my favorite version arrived five years later in a live duet with songbird Iris Dement.

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  • In the old asylum, a dement would wander the halls, lost in a world of confusion.

  • The family cared for a beloved dement who often recognized them only briefly.

  • Stories of a dement living in the village were told with a mix of sorrow and compassion.

Surface Forms

dement singular
dements plural

Etymology

Dement comes from the Latin parts de- 'out of' and mens 'mind', and is related to dementia and mental. It used to mean a person who was 'out of their mind', which is why it was used for someone with a mental illness.