deme

noun

1
: a unit of local government in ancient Attica
2
: a local population of closely related interbreeding organisms

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek dêmos "district, country, people, political district in Attica" — more at demo-

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of deme was in 1833

Dictionary Entries Near deme

Cite this Entry

“Deme.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deme. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on deme

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!