Defn: The act of corrupting or subverting morals. Especially: The act of corrupting or subverting discipline, courage, hope, etc., or the state of being corrupted or subverted in discipline, courage, etc.; as, the demoralization of an army or navy.
DEMORALIZE
De*mor"al*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demoralized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Demoralizing.] Etym: [F. démoraliser; pref. dé- (L. dis- or de) +
moraliser. See Moralize.]
Defn: To corrupt or undermine in morals; to destroy or lessen the effect of moral principles on; to render corrupt or untrustworthy in morals, in discipline, in courage, spirit, etc.; to weaken in spirit or efficiency. The demoralizing example of profligate power and prosperous crime. Walsh. The vices of the nobility had demoralized the army. Bancroft.
DEMOSTHENIC
Dem`os*then"ic, a. Etym: [L. Demosthenicus: cf. F. Démosthénique.]
Defn: Pertaining to, or in the style of, Demosthenes, the Grecian orator.
DEMOTE
De*mote", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Demoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Demoting.]
[Pref. de- + mote, as in promote; cf. L. demovere to remove.]
Defn: To reduce to a lower grade, as in school.
DEMOTIC
De*mot"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. démotique.]
Defn: Of or pertaining to the people; popular; common. Demotic alphabet or character, a form of writing used in Egypt after six or seven centuries before Christ, for books, deeds, and other such writings; a simplified form of the hieratic character; — called also epistolographic character, and enchorial character. See Enchorial.
DEMOTICS
De*mot"ics, n.