Meanings
comparative more demurely · superlative most demurely
- In a demure manner.
Bond went through a door marked OFFICE with Solitaire demurely at his heels.
1954, Ian Fleming, “The Everglades”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 1253 more examples
they spy'd a Cat upon a Shelf; that lay and look'd so Demurely, as if there had been neither Life nor Soul in her.
1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLCWhen the coffee was drunk, and the cup was put away with many thanks and blessings, she went demurely to the hearth, and pulled out a snuff-horn.
1886, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, translated by H.L. Brækstad, Folk and Fairy Tales, page 302`I am a hairdresser, but I was advertising as a model,' said Miss A demurely.
1965, James Holledge, What Makes a Call Girl?, London: Horwitz Publications, page 102
Origin
- Middle Englishdemurely
- Englishdemurely
From Middle English demurely; equivalent to demure + -ly.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Esperanto modeste
- modestein a demure manner
Polish skromnie, powściągliwie
- skromniein a demure manner
- powściągliwiein a demure manner
- rozważniein a demure manner
Russian скро́мно, сде́ржано
- скро́мно (skrómno)in a demure manner
- сде́ржано (sdéržano)in a demure manner
- засте́нчиво (zasténčivo)in a demure manner
Cite this entry
demurely. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurely
“demurely.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurely. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “demurely,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurely.
Source: demurely on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.