demise

Meanings

Noun

• The conveyance or transfer of an estate, either in fee for life or for years, most commonly the latter.
• Transmission by formal act or conveyance to an heir or successor; transference; especially, the transfer or transmission of the crown or royal authority to a successor.
• Death.
• The end of something, in a negative sense; downfall.

Verb

• To give.
• To convey, as by will or lease.
• To transmit by inheritance.
• To pass by inheritance.
• To die.

Origin

• From Latin demissa, feminine singular of perfect passive participle of dēmittō, apparently via Middle French démise, the feminine singular past participle of démettre.