Word of the Day: DEMURE

Very mindful, very demure

demure (adj) - reserved, modest, and possibly shy or coy; decorous or prim [dih-myoor]

BREAKDOWN: The word demure, based on both spelling and implication, may seem related to roots like MOR- meaning pause in words like demur or MUR- meaning wall in words like immure. In fact, the base of this word by way of Old French is the Latin root MATUR- meaning, of course, mature.

“School yourself to demureness and patience. Learn to inure yourself to drudgery in science. Learn, compare, collect the facts.” —Ivan Pavlov

Find out the origin of the hot phrase, “very mindful, very demure” HERE.

[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]