demurrer

D2E1M3U1R1R1E1R1
UK/dɪˈmʌɹə//dɪməːɹə(ɹ)/

noun

A motion by a party to a legal action for the immediate or summary judgment of the court on the question of whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defense, and hence whether the party bringing the motion is required to answer or proceed further.

UncommonScrabble 11

Meanings

demurrer1

noundemurrer (plural demurrers)

plural demurrers

  1. lawA motion by a party to a legal action for the immediate or summary judgment of the court on the question of whether, assuming the truth of the matter alleged by the opposite party, it is sufficient in law to sustain the action or defense, and hence whether the party bringing the motion is required to answer or proceed further.
    1 more example

    In a demurrer filed on 28 February to the Los Angeles county superior court, Franco’s lawyers asked that the lawsuit filed in October by Sarah Tither-Kaplan and Toni Gaal be dismissed, saying none of the alleged events detailed had happened, and the statute of limitations had passed for the accusations.

    2020 March 3, Andrew Pulver, “(please specify the article title)”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC

demurrer2

noundemurrer (plural demurrers)

plural demurrers

  1. Someone who demurs.

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(law) a formal objection to an opponent's pleadings

Broader

nouna defendant's answer or plea denying the truth of the charges against them

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

demurrer · noun

  1. Old Frenchdemourer“to demur”
  2. Anglo-Normandemurrer
  3. Englishdemurrer

From Anglo-Norman demurrer, form of Old French demourer (“to demur”), infinitive used as noun.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

demurrer. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurrer

MLA

“demurrer.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurrer. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “demurrer,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/demurrer.

Source: demurrer on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.