demi-monde
Definition
- Noun:
- A class of women of doubtful reputation: "demi-monde" historically refers to a group of women who are considered to be on the fringes of respectable society, often due to their sexual behavior or social status, such as courtesans or kept women.
- A social group on the margins: More broadly, it can denote any group of people who are not fully accepted by mainstream society, often due to unconventional lifestyles or questionable morals.
Usage Examples
- (A social class of women with dubious reputations.)
- (A fringe social group.)
Advanced Usage
- "To belong to the demi-monde": to be part of a socially marginal or disreputable group.
- After the scandal, she found herself belonging to the demi-monde of exiled aristocrats. (She was relegated to a socially ambiguous status.)
Variants and Related Words
- Demi-mondaine (n): a woman who belongs to the demi-monde.
- The novel’s heroine is a glamorous demi-mondaine living on the charity of lovers. (A woman of the demi-monde.)
Synonyms
- Underworld: a hidden or illicit social sphere.
- Fringe society: a group on the edges of mainstream culture.
- Bohemia: a community of artists and writers who live unconventional lives.
Related Idioms
- On the margins of society: living outside the accepted social norms.
- The demi-monde was always on the margins of society, tolerated but not respected. (Living on the fringes.)
Phrasal Verbs
- Fall into the demi-monde: to descend into a disreputable social circle.
- After losing her fortune, she fell into the demi-monde of gambling halls. (She entered a world of questionable morals.)