demimonde

Meaning

1. A class of women maintained by wealthy protectors; female courtesans or prostitutes as a group.
2. (broadly) A group having little respect or reputation.
3. (broadly) A member of such a class or group of persons.

Synonyms

demimondaine

demiworld

Translations

demi-monde

Halbwelt

ημίκοσμος

demi-mondaine

schemering

demimonde

شخص مشبوه

demi monde

ελαφρές γυναίκες

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdɛmiːmɒnd/

Etymology

Borrowed from French demi-monde (literally “half-world”), from demi (“half”) + monde (“world; people”); possibly coined by French author and playwright Alexandre Dumas fils as the title of a comedic play, Le Demi Monde (1855): see the 1864 quotation.