demimonde: Meaning and Definition of

dem•i•monde

Pronunciation: (dem'ē-mond" Fr. d&schwa-mē-mônd'), [key]
— n.
  1. (esp. during the last half of the 19th century) a class of women who have lost their standing in respectable society because of indiscreet behavior or sexual promiscuity.
  2. a demimondaine.
  3. prostitutes or courtesans in general.
  4. a group whose activities are ethically or legally questionable: a demimonde of investigative journalists writing for the sensationalist tabloids.
  5. a group characterized by lack of success or status: the literary demimonde.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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