Dictionary

demeanor en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /dɪˈmiːnə(ɹ)/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /dɪˈminɚ/ (General-American)
• (UK) audio

Etymology

From Middle English demenure, from the verb Middle English demenen, demeinen (“to handle, manage”), from Old French demener (“to guide, conduct”), from de- + mener (“to conduct, lead”), from Latin *mināre (“to drive”) and minor (“to project or jut forth”).

Meanings

1. (US, countable, uncountable) The social, non-verbal behaviors (such as body language and facial expressions) that are characteristic of a person.
   • A confident demeanor is crucial for persuading others.
   • He kept up his cheerful demeanor. It wouldn't do for any of the holocams to see him looking irritable, for any recordings of such a response would appear on the news broadcasts. 2009 April 12, Aaron Allston, Outcast, New York, N.Y.: Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 27:
   • The man's demeanor made others suspicious of his intentions.
   • At this present (saith he) certeine princes of Britaine, procuring by ambassadors and dutifull demeanors the amitie of the emperour Augustus, haue offered in the capitoll vnto the gods presents or gifts, and haue ordeined the whole Ile in a manner to be appertinent, proper, and familiar to the Romans. a. 1587, Raphael Holinshed, quoting Strabo, Historie of England, Book III:
   • Demeanors that are apologetic and overly polite are inherently contradictory to demeanors that exhibit fear and anger. 1993, “Interrogation: The Kinesics Technique”, in John J. Fay, editor, Encyclopedia of Security Management, →ISBN, page 418:

Forms

Relateds

misdemeanor · demean

Synonyms

behavior · comportment

Translations (66)

sk vystupovanie (outward way in which a person behaves) · sv beteende (outward way in which a person behaves) · sk správanie (outward way in which a person behaves) · sv uppförande (outward way in which a person behaves) · da optræden (outward way in which a person behaves) · cs způsoby (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Auftreten (outward way in which a person behaves) · it comportamento (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Gebahren (outward way in which a person behaves) · fr conduite (outward way in which a person behaves) · eo agmaniero (outward way in which a person behaves) · fi olemus (outward way in which a person behaves) · no oppførsel (outward way in which a person behaves) · fi käyttäytyminen (outward way in which a person behaves) · oc comportament (outward way in which a person behaves) · ca conducta (outward way in which a person behaves) · pt comportamento (outward way in which a person behaves) · hy վարվելաձև (outward way in which a person behaves) · cmn 神態 /神态 (outward way in which a person behaves) · da opførsel (outward way in which a person behaves) · ja 物腰 (outward way in which a person behaves) · ru поведе́ние (outward way in which a person behaves) · nl gedragswijze (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Betragen (outward way in which a person behaves) · cs chování (outward way in which a person behaves) · pt conduta (outward way in which a person behaves) · ru манера (outward way in which a person behaves) · gd giùlan (outward way in which a person behaves) · fi käytös (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi आचरण (outward way in which a person behaves) · cs vystupování (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Verhalten (outward way in which a person behaves) · sk spôsoby (outward way in which a person behaves) · cmn 姿態 /姿态 (outward way in which a person behaves) · cmn 舉動 /举动 (outward way in which a person behaves) · es porte (outward way in which a person behaves) · ru невербалика (outward way in which a person behaves) · it atteggiamento (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi तौर-तरीका (outward way in which a person behaves) · ko 처신 (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi चाल (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Benehmen (outward way in which a person behaves) · sh ophođenje (outward way in which a person behaves) · ja 振る舞い (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi ढंग (outward way in which a person behaves) · ca comportament (outward way in which a person behaves) · eo konduto (outward way in which a person behaves) · no opptreden (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Haltung (outward way in which a person behaves) · hu viselkedés (outward way in which a person behaves) · sv uppträdande (outward way in which a person behaves) · uk поведінка (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi बरताव (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi तौर (outward way in which a person behaves) · cmn 舉止 /举止 (outward way in which a person behaves) · ota حركت (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Auftritt (outward way in which a person behaves) · sh ponašanje (outward way in which a person behaves) · bg поведение (outward way in which a person behaves) · es apostura (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi चाल-ढाल (outward way in which a person behaves) · bg държание (outward way in which a person behaves) · fr comportement (outward way in which a person behaves) · cmn 風度 /风度 (outward way in which a person behaves) · de Gehabe (outward way in which a person behaves) · hi भाव-भंगिमा (outward way in which a person behaves)