Deme
/diːm/noun
A local administrative division in ancient Attica or a relatively isolated population of interbreeding organisms.
Did you know?In classical Athens, belonging to a deme helped define a citizen’s official identity—so your local district was part of your political name and status.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*déh₂mos
“A reconstructed term associated with a community or organized people; its exact prehistoric development is debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
δῆμος (dêmos)
“A district, the common people, or the citizen body of a city-state.”
5th Century BCE
Greek
dêmos
“An Attic administrative unit and local citizen community used in the political organization of Athens.”
16th Century
English
deme
“An English term for an ancient Athenian district or political subdivision.”
19th Century
English
deme
“A local population of organisms capable of interbreeding, especially within a species.”
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