demimonde
noun
demi·monde
ˈde-mi-ˌmänd 
ˈde-mē-
plural demimondes
1
a
: a class of women on the fringes of conventional society supported by wealthy lovers
also
: their world
b
: the world of sex work
Opening as an underworld drama, set among the demimonde of Viennese sex workers and gangsters, it soon shifted gear—and location, moving to the countryside and becoming something far richer and more unexpected …—
Variety
Variety2
: a distinct circle or world that is often an isolated part of a larger world
The demimondes depicted by the American master Martin Scorsese vary widely—his New York stories alone span three centuries—but they have one common requirement: It takes intelligence, of one kind or another, to navigate them.—Sean T. Collins
Sean T. Collins
especially
: one having low reputation or prestige
Yet, when he wanders from the leafy, comfortable districts into the criminal and sexual demimondes of Bombay, he is transfixed … —Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews … in Act 1, it's back to Paris and the demimonde of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. His posters depict the lively nightlife of Montmartre and its absinthe-soaked denizens. —Daniella Walsh
Daniella Walsh Examples of demimonde in a Sentence
a documentary examining the demimonde of organized crime
Recent Examples on the Web
The gumshoe’s exploits, punctuated with suspense, dark comedy and a motley cast unique to the demimonde of the Mexican capital, have been made into films and a Netflix series and translated into English and other languages.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
The gumshoe’s exploits, punctuated with suspense, dark comedy and a motley cast unique to the demimonde of the Mexican capital, have been made into films and a Netflix series and translated into English and other languages.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Should their conditions worsen or improve, the end result is the same – promising an instant and irrevocable erasure of this demimonde forged from slumber.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demimonde
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
One thing was certain: Per its title, it was set in the demimonde of the galaxy far, far away, among its scoundrels, and smugglers, and bounty hunters and assorted other criminals.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
The gumshoe’s exploits, punctuated with suspense, dark comedy and a motley cast unique to the demimonde of the Mexican capital, have been made into films and a Netflix series and translated into English and other languages.
—Patrick J. McDonnell, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Should their conditions worsen or improve, the end result is the same – promising an instant and irrevocable erasure of this demimonde forged from slumber.
—Ben Croll, IndieWire, 12 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for demimonde
Cite this Entry
“Demimonde.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/demimonde. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share