How to pronounce demean
Say it like dih-MEEN. Demean has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEEN).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce demean. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- MEEN
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Demean pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- MEENSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of demean
American and British speakers say demean in essentially the same way: /dɪˈmin/ in the US and /dɪˈmiːn/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-MEEN.
What does demean mean?
- To debase; to lower; to degrade.
- To humble; to humiliate.
- To mortify.
- To subtract the mean from (a value, or every observation in a data set).
- demesne.
- resources; means.
Where does demean come from?
(1595) From de- + mean (“lowly, base, common”), from Middle English mene, aphetic variation of imene (“mean, base, common”), from Old English ġemǣne (“mean, common”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with demean
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of demean.
Questions about saying demean
How do you pronounce demean?
Say dih-MEEN. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈmin/. In British English it is /dɪˈmiːn/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in demean?
Demean has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (MEEN). Broken into parts: dih · MEEN.
Do Americans and Brits say demean the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈmin/ and the British form is /dɪˈmiːn/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.