Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Origin: de- + MEAN2

demean

 verb
     
de‧mean [transitive]
to do something that makes people lose respect for someone or something [↪ degrade]:
language that demeans women
demean yourself (by doing something)
I wouldn't demean myself by begging him for a job.
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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