Word of the day · 13 May 2026
demure
/dɪˈmjʊə/
adjective
Modest, reserved or quietly proper in manner or appearance; in recent slang, also used jokingly for a carefully restrained look.
In a sentence
- She gave a demure nod rather than a loud cheer.
- The dress code asked for demure colors at the ceremony.
- Creators posted “very demure” outfits as a soft-spoken trend.
In an image
Origin
From Old French demoure (calm, settled), related to demeurer (to stay, remain); English kept the sense of composed restraint.
History
Older English praised a demure manner as shy propriety, especially for women in fiction. Fashion and social video revived demure as a playful label for neat, covered, soft-spoken looks. The joke sense still leans on the older meaning. Lookups rose when the slang wave met dictionary curiosity.
Nearby words
modest · reserved · restrained
Quiet modesty, now also a tongue-in-cheek style cue online.