Demut

German

Etymology

From Middle High German dēmuot, diemuot, diemüete, from southern Old High German thiomuotī (ca. 800), from thio (“unfree, adscript”) + muot (“mood, attitude”), thus literally “serf-mindedness”. The word spread from Upper German during Middle High German times, gradually displacing the northern ōtmuotī (compare Old Saxon ōthmōdī). Northern sources almost invariably show -e- instead of -ie-, but this form also appears in the south and must thus be considered an internal, irregular development. Middle Low German dêmôt, Middle Dutch dêmoet are both late (15th c.) borrowings from High German.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈdeːˌmuːt/
  • Audio(file)

Noun

Demut f (genitive Demut, no plural)

  1. humility, meekness (comprehension or expression of one’s own lowliness)
    Synonyms: Bescheidenheit, Ergebenheit, Unterwürfigkeit
    Antonyms: Hochmut; (archaic) Hoffart; Selbstherrlichkeit; Überheblichkeit

Declension
Declension of Demut [sg-only, feminine]
singular
indef. def. noun
nominative eine die Demut
genitive einer der Demut
dative einer der Demut
accusative eine die Demut

Derived terms

Further reading
  • “Demut” in Duden online
  • “Demut” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
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