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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Demimonde

Demimonde \Dem`i*monde"\, n. [F.; demi + monde world, L. mundus.] Persons of doubtful reputation; esp., women who are kept as mistresses, though not public prostitutes; demireps.

Literary demimonde, writers of the lowest kind.

Wiktionary
demimonde

n. 1 A class of women kept by wealthy protectors; female prostitutes as a group 2 A group having little respect or reputation

WordNet
demimonde

n. a class of woman not considered respectable because of indiscreet or promiscuous behavior

Wikipedia
Demimonde

Demi-monde refers to a group of people who live hedonistic lifestyles, usually in a flagrant and conspicuous manner. The term was commonly used in Europe from the late 19th to the early 20th century, and contemporary use has an anachronistic character. Its connotations of pleasure-seeking often contrasted with wealth and ruling class behavior.

The term 'demi-monde' is French for "half-world". It derives from a comedy called Le Demi-Monde, by Alexandre Dumas, fils, published in 1855.

The term was often used as one of disapprobation, the behavior of a person in the demimonde being contrary to more traditional or bourgeois values. Such behaviors often included drinking or drug use, gambling, high spending (particularly in pursuit of fashion, as through clothing as well as servants and houses), and sexual promiscuity. The term demimondaine referred to a woman who embodied these qualities; later it became a euphemism for a courtesan or prostitute.

Usage examples of "demimonde".

They have sailed out of the world coinhabited by ordinary men and Olympian gods into a strange demimonde of half-divine monsters.

From what I understand in the little time I have been in the demimonde, that is how demireps meet future protectors.

My reputation, though decidedly blemished amongst the upper classes, was quite the opposite in the demimonde.

These were members of the highest class of prostitute and, like it or not, respectable ladies often found themselves competing with these smartly turned-out demimondes for masculine attention.

Many of the women I encountered in the demimonde were of European origin, and learning to speak their native languages fluently provided me with certain keys to their bedchambers.

The town was part of the demimonde: most of its citizens were living ordinary lives in the surface net, but many of them were Bogdanovists, who helped support Bogdanovist refuges in the area, as well as Red sanctuaries in Mareotis and on the Great Escarpment.

Anyway, now the resistance includes the underground and the demimonde, and having the open towns is a big help to the hidden sanctuaries, so I'm glad they're here.