demi
demi — prefix
1. a word element placed at the front of a noun to show that the thing described is
a word element placed at the front of a noun to show that the thing described is half of a larger thing or belongs only partly to a category.
In Greek mythology, Hercules was a demigod who completed twelve dangerous tasks.
demi- + god = half-god, partly divine being
The waiter served the strong espresso in a small demitasse cup on a silver tray.
demi- + tasse (cup) = half-cup; small coffee cup
The chef ladled a rich demi-glace over the roasted beef before serving it.
The novel describes a demimonde of artists and writers living in nineteenth-century Paris.
文法句型
demi- + noun → noun (demigod, demitasse)
demi- + adjective → adjective (no common modern formations)
用法筆記
Much less common than the prefixes 'semi-' (used in general and technical English: semicircle, semiprofessional) and 'hemi-' (used mainly in scientific terms: hemisphere, hemiplegia). 'Demi-' appears mostly in a small set of words borrowed from French, such as demigod, demitasse, and demimonde. Learners should learn each compound word individually rather than trying to attach 'demi-' freely to new words.