demimonde
1
9.9
- noun
- /ˈdɛmɪˌmɒnd/
- Offensive
:
demimonde
- The actress was known to frequent the demimonde, attracting attention for her unconventional lifestyle.
- demimonde figures
Examples
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In the novel, the protagonist navigates the challenges of belonging to the demimonde, where societal norms are often disregarded.
-
In the novel, Philippe takes it upon himself to initiate the younger Raoul into the life of the demimonde; it is thus suggested that Raoul's sexual initiation had not yet taken place.
Academic text (2001) -
"We populate the same demimonde of printed scandal.
Fiction book (1992) -
They reveled in sharing a table, perhaps, or a vanity shelf, with the demimonde.
Fiction book (1991) -
Artists, dancers, musicians, and intellectuals were drawn to the Quartier, which was home to the most famous demimonde in the entire collection of peopled worlds.
Fiction book (1991) -
Her friends in the downtown demimonde never deserted it, save for the sporadic bout of unavoidable nakedness.
Fiction book (2000) -
Like Manet's Olympia in 1865 and Monet's Camille in 1866, the woman in Renoir's work was understood to be a figure of the demimonde.
Academic text (2007) -
In the distant past, actors and artists occupied a seedy if alluring demimonde, a realm of license and nonconformity that flourished on the fringes of respectable society.
Academic text (2008) -
The local party scene was infamous for its demimonde, drawing in people from all walks of life who defied convention.
How Respectable
Surface Forms
Etymology
Demimonde comes from the French parts demi meaning 'half' and monde meaning 'world'. Think of a 'half-world' — a social circle that lives partly outside the respectable world, which is why demimonde describes people on the edge of polite society.