demi

demi, n., a., prefix
  (ˈdɛmɪ)
  Also 5–6 dimi.
  [F. demi:—L. dīmidium half: see dimidiate. The Fr. word is a n. and adj., and much used in combination. It began to be used in English in the 15th c. attrib. in Heraldry, and in the 16th c. in names of cannon, and soon passed to other uses. At first it was often written separately; hence it was also treated as a simple adj., and occasionally as a n. (In certain uses the separate word survives as demy, q.v.) But demi- is now almost always hyphened to the word which it qualifies, and it has become to a large extent a living element, capable of being prefixed to almost any n. (often also to adjs., and sometimes to verbs).]
  A. As separate word. (Formerly also demy.) I. adj. (or adv.) Half; half-sized, diminutive. Now rare.

1418 E.E. Wills (1882) 36 Also a bed of red and grene dimi Selour. 1486 [see B. 1]. 1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. lii, Cannons, double and demie. 1565 Jewel Def. Apol. (1611) 202 Upon these few words, M. Harding is able to build up his Dimi Communion, his Priuate Masse. 1587 M. Grove Pelops & Hipp. (1878) 43 Ere that demi the way The course had ouerpast. Ibid. 48 Ere that The day was demi past. 1594 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. ii. 377 From hence spring demy and double tertians and quartanes. 1603 Knolles Hist. Turks (1621) 688 The complaints of this barking demie man. 1722 De Foe Plague (1884) 218 This demy Quarantine. 1891 Daily News 29 June 2/7 For wools of the demi class there is a good demand..In single demi wefts there is an average turnover.

  † II. as n. A half. Chiefly ellipt. Obs. See also demy.

1501 Will of Stoyll (Somerset Ho.), A girdell callid a Demye weying ij vnce large by Troye. 1604 E. Grimstone Hist. Siege Ostend 90 Two whole Canons and three demies. 1761 Bill of Fare in Pennant London (1813) 562, 1 Grand Pyramid of Demies of Shell fish of various Sorts.

  B. demi- in combination.
  Among the chief groups of compounds are the following:
  1. In Heraldry, etc., indicating the half-length figure of a man or animal, or the half of a charge or bearing: e.g. demi-angel, demi-figure, demi-forester, demi-horse, demi-lion, demi-man, demi-monk, demi-moor, demi-ram, demi-virgin, demi-wyvern; demi-belt, † demi-pheon, demi-ship, etc.; demi-vol, a single wing of a bird used as a bearing.

1486 Bk. St. Albans, Her. B v a, Demy is calde in armys halfe a best in the felde.

1882 Academy No. 513. 161 [Consecration] crosses..consisting of *demi-angels holding shields.

1864 Boutell Heraldry Hist. & Pop. xxviii. §1 (ed. 3) 434 Two *demi-belts pale-wise.

Ibid. x. 55 In the Arms of the See of Oxford are three *demi-figures.

1856 Farmer's Mag. Jan. 68 A pair of..flower vases, with *demi-horses as handles, standing on square plinths.

1610 J. Guillim Heraldry iii. xv. (1660) 193 He beareth..a *Demy Lyon Rampand. 1696 Lond. Gaz. No. 3229/4 Crest a Demy-Lion Regardant. 1928 Blunden Jap. Garl. 16 The inscrutable and dog-like grin Of demi-lions hedge me in!

1864 Boutell Her. xvii. §2. 269 A *demi-monk grasping a scourge of knotted cords.

1686 Plot Staffordsh. 344 With an iron hook or *demi-pheon ingrail'd within.

a 1661 Fuller Worthies ii. (1662) 299 A *Demi-ramme mounting Argent, armed Or.

1792 W. Boys Hist. Sandwich 797 The old seal of mayoralty [of Dover]..with four *demi-ships conjoined with four demi-lions.

1864 Boutell Her. xxi. §11. 368 *Demi virgin, couped below the shoulders.

1857 H. Ainsworth M. Clitheroe ii. 277 A *demi-wyvern carved in stone.

  2. In Costume, indicating an article of half the full size or length; hence a definitely shorter or curtailed form of the article, as † demi-cap, † demi-collar, † demi-coronal, † demi-gown, demi-robe, † demi-shirt, demi-train; † demi-crown, a coronet. See also demi-ceint, -girdle.

1568 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. iv. (1679) 627/1 To see a foolish Courtier weare a *demy cappe, scant to cover the crowne of his head.

1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iv. i. (Order of Coronation). Marquesse Dorset..on his head, a *Demy Coronall of Gold.

1638 Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. I. 99 And if you doe nothing but change your cloath of gold for a russet coat; and your cut-work band for a *demy collar.

1641 Hist. Rich. III 219 Having on his head a *demy Crown appointed for the degree of a Prince.

1480 Wardr. Acc. Edw. IV (1830) 124, Vj *demy gownes and a shorte loose gowne. 1721 Strype Eccl. Mem. II. i. 7 Every of their footmen in demigowns, bare-headed.

1807 in Pall Mall Budget 7 Oct. (1886) 30/1 A *demie robe of white Albany gauze.

1634 Sir T. Herbert Trav. 146 Under this garment they weare a smocke..in length agreeing to our *demi-shirts.

1818 La Belle Assemblée XVII. 36 Hessian robe of white satin, with *demi-train. 1891 Daily News 20 May 3/1 Demi-trains are ordained by French couturiers to be worn in the street.

  3. In Arms and Armour, indicating a piece of half the size of the full piece, or a reduced variety of the latter, forming a less complete covering; as demi-brassard, -gardebras, a piece of plate-armour for the upper arm at the back; demi-chamfron, a piece covering the face of the horse less completely than the chamfron; demi-cuirass (see quot.); demi-jambe, a piece covering the front of the leg; demi-mentonniere, a mentonniere or chin-piece for the tilt covering the left side only; demi-pauldron, the smaller and lighter form of pauldron or shoulder-plate used in the end of the 15th c.; demi-pike = half-pike; demi-placard, -placate, = demi-cuirass; demi-suit, the suit of light armour used in and after the 15th c.; demi-vambrace, a piece of plate-armour protecting the outside of the fore-arm. See also demi-lance, -pique.

1874 Boutell Arms & Arm. viii. 147 A corslet of iron, formed of two pieces..which enclosed and protected the body, front and back, above the waist, and as low down as the hips; this may be called a *demi-cuirass.

1883 J. Hatton in Harper's Mag. Nov. 849/1 The armor..is a *demi-suit worn in the days of Henry VIII.

  4. In Artillery, distinguishing a piece of definitely smaller size than the full-sized piece so named, as demi-bombard: see also demi-cannon, -culverin, -hake.
  5. In Fortification, as demi-caponier, demi-distance, demi-parallel: see quots. Also demi-bastion, -gorge, -lune, -revetment.

1874 Knight Dict. Mech., *Demi-caponniere, a construction across the ditch, having but one parapet and glacis.

1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Demi-distance of Polygons..is the distance between the outward Polygons and the Flank.

1851 J. S. Macaulay Field Fortif. 233 When arrived at about 150 yards from the enemy's covered way, he forms other places of arms, called *demi-parallels. 1874 Knight Dict. Mech., Demi-parallel, shorter entrenchments thrown up between the main parallels of attack, for the protection of guards of the trenches.

  6. In Military tactics, the Manège, etc., as † demi-hearse, demi-pesade, demi-pommada; demi-brigade, the name given, under the first French Republic, to a regiment of infantry and artillery (Littré); see also demi-bateau, -sap, -volte.

1799 Hist. Europe in Ann. Reg. 7/1 The sons of the Mammalukes..he brought into the *demi-brigades to supply the place of the French drummers.

1635 W. Barriffe Mil. Discip. lxxvi. (1643) 210 The next firing in Front which I present unto you, is the *Demie-hearse.

1884 E. L. Anderson Mod. Horsemanship ii. xvii. 154 The Greeks..practised their horses in leaping, in the career..and even in the *demi-pesade.

1762 Sterne Tr. Shandy V. xxix, Springing into the air, he turned him about like a wind-mill, and made above a hundred frisks, turns, and *demi-pommadas.

  7. In Weights, Measures, Coins, etc., as † demi-barrel, † demi-galonier, † demi-groat, demi-mark, demi-second, † demi-sextier, † demi-sovereign; demi-ame, half an aam; demi-farthing Hist., a copper coin of Ceylon, of the value of half a farthing.

1494 Act 11 Hen. VII, c. 23 No such Merchant..should put any Herring to Sale by Barrel, *Demy-Barrel, or Firkin.

c 1740 Shenstone Economy i. 44 Ev'n for a *demi-groat, this open'd soul..Revibrates quick.

1863 A. J. Horwood Year-bks. 30–1 Edw. I, Pref. 26 note, Mr. Booth's quære..as to the reason for the tender of the *demy-mark in a writ of right.

1816 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. (1843) II. 248 Mr. Delisle observed a fly..which ran nearly three inches in a *demi-second, and in that space made 540 steps.

1817 Cobbett Wks. XXXII. 142 Under the old-fashioned names of guineas and half-guineas, and not, as the newspapers told us..under the name of sovereigns and *demi-sovereigns.

  8. With names of fabrics, stuffs, etc., usually indicating that they are half of inferior material; as † demi-buckram, demi-lustre, † demi-worsted. Also demi-castor.

a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem (Arb.) 100 Clothe him selfe with nothing els, but a *demie bukram cassok.

1880 Daily News 8 Nov. 2/7 *Demi-lustres and Irish wools being relatively higher in price.

1536 A. Basset in Mrs. Green Lett. R. & Illust. Ladies II. 295 Send me some *demi worsted for a robe and a collar.

  9. Music. † demi-cadence, an imperfect cadence, a half-close; † demi-crotchet, a quaver; † demi-ditone, a minor third (see ditone); † demi-quaver, a semi-quaver. (All obs. and rare.) See also demisemiquaver, -semitone, -tone.

1828 Busby Mus. Manual, *Demi-Cadence, an expression used in contradistinction to Full-Cadence..so a demi-cadence is always on some other than the key-note.

1659 J. Leak Waterwks. 28 If you will you may put on *Demi Crochets, or Quavers.

1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), *Demi-ditone..the same with Tierce Minor. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp., Demiditone, in music, is used by some for a third minor.

1669 Cokaine Death T. Pilkington Poems 79 Whose Loss our trembling Heart such wise lament As they like Semi- and *Demi-quavers went. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), Demi-quaver, a Musical Note; see Semi-quaver.

  10. With names of material or geometrical figures: Half, semi-; as demi-canal, demi-column, demi-cylinder (hence demi-cylindrical adj.), demi-dome, † demi-hill, demi-metope, demi-orbit, demi-pillar, demi-plate, demi-tube; † demi-globe, -sphere = hemisphere; demi-octagonal, -octangular, of the shape of half of an octagon. See also demi-circle.

1870 Rolleston Anim. Life 20 The place..taken by the *demi-canal.

1879 Sir G. G. Scott Lect. Archit. II. 38 An entire pillar of this form must have suggested the *demi⁓column.

1781 Gibbon Decl. & F. (1846) III. xl. 621 The altar..was placed in the eastern recess, artificially built in the form of a *demicylinder.

1879 Sir G. G. Scott Lect. Archit. I. 51 The most normal and readily invented vault is..of the continuous barrel or *demi-cylindrical form.

1862 R. H. Patterson Ess. Hist. & Art 410 Beneath an apex or *demi⁓dome, stands the relic-shrine.

1794 G. Adams Nat. & Exp. Philos. III. xxxii. App. 327 The flat side of this *demi⁓globe.

1665 J. Webb Stone-Heng (1725) 131 A mighty Heap in Form of a *Demi-hill.

1774 T. West Antiq. Furness (1805) 362 The ruins of the chapter-house, with four *demi-octangular buttresses in front.

1875 J. Croll Climate & T. App. 537 The *demi-orbit, or..the 180° comprehended betwixt the two equinoxes.

1776 Lond. & Westm. Guide 13 Four Gothic *Demi Pillars painted with blue Veins, and gilt Capitals.

1885 Athenæum 28 Feb. 284/1 A *demiplate..is never the second plate [of the ambulacra].

1826 Kirby & Sp. Entomol. (1828) III. xxxv. 571 A deep channel or *demitube.

  11. With ordinary class-nouns, indicating a person or thing which has half the characteristics connoted by the name; or is half this and half not, half-and-half; hence sometimes with sense ‘of equivocal quality or character’; as demi-atheist, demi-Atlas, demi-beast, demi-beau, demi-bisque (bisk n.), demi-brute, demi-cæsura, demi-canon, demi-crack (crack n. 11–15), demi-Christian, demi-critic, demi-dandiprat, demi-deity, demi-devil, demi-doctor, demi-gentleman, demi-king, demi-lawyer, demi-millionaire, demi-Muhammadan, demi-Moor, demi-owl, demi-pagan, demi-Pelagian (so demi-Pelagianism), demi-priest, demi-prophetess, demi-savage, demi-urchin, demi-votary, demi-wolf; † demi-damsel, -lady, -lass (rendering Sp. semidoncella); † demi-male, a eunuch. See also demi-god, -island, -isle, -monde.

1856 G. H. Boker Calaynos i. i, Why talk you thus, you *demi-atheist?

1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. i. v. 23 The *demy Atlas of this Earth.

1849 J. W. Donaldson Theatre Greeks 252 The composition of demigods with *demibeasts formed a diverting contrast.

a 1700 B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Sub-beau, or *Demibeau, a wou'd-be-fine.

1799 W. Tooke View Russian Emp. II. 606 Destitute of the finer feelings of our nature, and a *demi-brute.

1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 382 This semi-pause may be called a *demi-cæsura.

1712 Cooke Voy. to S. Sea 396 To the Cathedral belong ten Canons..six *Demi-Canons, and six half Demi-Canons [etc.].

1622 Massinger Virg. Mart. ii. i, Herein thou shewed'st thyself a perfect *demi-Christian too.

1674 S. Vincent Yng. Gallant's Acad. To Rdr. A vij b, Nay the Stationers themselves are turned *Demi-Criticks. 1756 Gray's-Inn Jrnl. I. 167 We the..Demi-critics of the City of London, in Coffee-houses assembled.

1620 Shelton Quix. iv. xvi. II. 201 To this Hole came the two *demi-Damsels.

1622 Massinger Virg. Mart. ii. iii, Adieu, *demi-dandiprat, adieu!

1640 T. Rawlins Rebellion in Hazl. Dodsley XIV. 74 A religious sacrifice of praise Unto thy *demi-deity. 1820 Byron Mar. Fal. ii. i. 390 The demy-deity Alcides.

1604 Shakes. Oth. v. ii. 301 Demand that *demy-Diuell, Why he hath thus ensnar'd my Soule and Body. 1823 W. Irving in Life & Lett. (1864) IV. 399 What demi-devils we are to mar such scenes of quiet and loveliness with our passions!

1737 Bracken Farriery Impr. (1757) II. 90 *Demi-Doctors, who do more Mischief than all the right-knowing of the Profession do good.

1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vi. §14 But a *Demi-King, depriued of all Soueraignty ouer one half⁓deale of his Kingdome.

1742 Jarvis Quix. i. iv. xvi. (D.), At this hole then this pair of *demilasses [rendered by Motteux and Ozell, 1757, *demy-ladies] planted themselves.

1825 T. Jefferson Autobiog. Wks. 1859 I. 45 Chicaneries..and delays of lawyers and *demi-lawyers.

1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 235 Being a *demi Mahumetan.

1728 Morgan Algiers II. v. 294 He was always called Aga, as are generally those *Demi-Males: every Eunuch is an Aga.

1614 Sylvester Du Bartas, Parl. Vertues Royall 108 Those daring *Demi-Moores.

1622 Massinger Virg. Mart. ii. i, As I am a *demi-pagan, I sold the victuals.

1626 tr. Parallel A iij, What kindred..hath Arminius..with the *Demipelagians?

Ibid. D ij, *Demipelagianisme is Pelagianisme.

1590 L. Lloyd Diall Daies 18 So inspired by god Phœbus, that she was accompted and taken for a *demie Prophetesse.

1800 H. Wells C. Neville III. 318 The little *demi-savage gained so many friends.

1627 Drayton Agincourt, etc. 173 Other like Beasts yet had the feete of Fowles, That *Demy-Vrchins weare, and Demy-Owles.

1663 Cowley Complaint vii, My gross Mistake, My self a *demy-Votary to make.

1605 Shakes. Macb. iii. i. 94 As..Mungrels, Spaniels, Curres..and *Demy-Wolues are clipt All by the Name of Dogges.

  12. With nouns of action, condition, state; as demi-assignation, demi-atheism, demi-bob, demi-flexion, demi-incognito, demi-nudity, demi-premisses, demi-pronation, demi-relief, demi-result, demi-sacrilege, demi-translucence; demi-metamorphosis (Entom.), partial metamorphosis, hemi-metabolism; demi-toilet, half evening (or dinner) dress, not full dress.

1667 G. Digby Elvira in Hazl. Dodsley XV. 61 Such words imply Little less than a *demi-assignation.

1710 Berkeley Princ. Hum. Knowl. §155 Sunk into a sort of *Demy-atheism.

1842 Barham Ingol. Leg., Auto-da-fé, Returning his bow with a slight *demi-bob.

1808 Med. Jrnl. XIX. 81 *Demi-flexion becomes at length as painful as the extension at full length. 1836–9 Todd Cycl. Anat. II. 76/2 The fore-arm was in a state of demi-flexion.

1891 Pall Mall G. 5 Mar. 1/2 When a Royal personage comes to Paris in *demi-incognito.

1816 Gentl. Mag. LXXXVI. i. 227 Loosely attired in the *demi-nudity of the Grecian costume.

1597 Hooker Eccl. Pol. v. lxxx. (1611) 400 They iudge conclusions by *demipremises and halfe principles.

1836–9 Todd Cycl. Anat. II. 76/2 The fore-arm was in a state of *demi-pronation.

1874 Knight Dict. Mech., *Demi-relief..half raised, as if cut in two, and half only fixed to the plane.

1612 W. Sclater Ministers Portion 29 Popish *Demi-sacrilege had made seisure of tithes.

1828 Scott Diary 17 May in Lockhart, I contrived to make a *demi toilette at Holland House. 1880 Disraeli Endym. xxii, The sisters were in demi-toilet, which seemed artless, though in fact it was profoundly devised.

1849 C. Brontë Shirley v. 47 Dawn was just beginning to..give a *demi-translucence to its opaque shadows.

  13. With adjectives: as demi-heavenly, demi-high, demi-human, demi-Norman, demi-official, demi-pagan, demi-pectinate, demi-savage, demi-simple, demi-unenfranchised; demi-equitant (Bot.) = obvolute. (With most of these semi- is now the usual prefix.)

1616 Sylvester Du Bartas, Tobacco Battered 536 *Demi-heav'nly, and most free by Birth.

1871 Figure Training 120 We may go far before we meet with anything superior to the plain *demi-high button-boot now so much worn.

1822 O'Connor Chron. Eri I. p. lxvii, These wretched mortals..considered but *demi-human, the link between man and monkey.

1876 Tennyson Harold iii. i, Our dear England Is *demi-Norman.

1804 W. Taylor in Ann. Rev. II. 275 These..are surely inferior to the *demi-official letters of the second volume. 1818 Cobbett Pol. Reg. XXXIII. 201 The publications in the demi-official newspaper of this country.

1833 Chalmers Const. Man. (1835) I. i. 104 The warfare of savage or *demisavage nations.

1591 F. Sparry tr. Cattan's Geomancie 168 The one is simple, the vther *demy simple.

1893 Westm. Gaz. 25 Feb. 2/2 Extracting verdicts from semi-disfranchised and *demi-unenfranchised constituencies.

  14. With verbs and verbal derivatives: as † demi-corpsed, † demi-deify, † demi-digested, † demi-natured, † demi-turned.

1828 J. Wilson in Blackw. Mag. XXIV. 286 He [the rider] becomes *demicorpsed with the noble animal.

1784 Cowper Task v. 266 They *demi-deify and fume him so.

1660 Fisher Rusticks Alarm Wks. (1679) 229 In thy meer *demi-digested demications against them.

1602 Shakes. Ham. iv. vii. 88 And to such wondrous doing brought his horse, As had he beene encorps'd and *demy-Natur'd With the braue Beast.

1793 J. Williams Calm Exam. 74 Has the sphere of rectitude been *demi-turned, and what was yesterday uprightness, now antipodic?

Oxford English Dictionary