What does demitted mean?
'Demitted' is the past tense of the rare and formal verb 'demit', which means to resign, surrender, or relinquish an office, position, or dignity. The word survives chiefly in legal and ceremonial contexts, particularly in Scots law, where 'to demit' can also mean to convey or hand over property or an office to another person. A judge or minister who 'demits office' does so of their own volition — the term implies a voluntary laying-down rather than removal by others. Historically more common than it is today, 'demit' derives from the Latin 'dimittere', meaning 'to send away' or 'let go'. Its noun form, 'demission', appears in older constitutional and ecclesiastical documents. Because the word is now largely archaic outside Scotland and formal registers, writers should reserve it for historical narrative or deliberately elevated prose; in everyday usage, 'resigned' or 'stepped down' conveys the same meaning more clearly.
verb (past tense and past participle of 'demit')'Demitted' is the past tense of 'demit', a formal verb meaning to resign or relinquish an office, position, or dignity. In Scots law it specifically denotes the conveyance or transfer of property or an office to another party.
- To have resigned or formally given up an office, position, or dignity.
- (Scots law) To have conveyed or transferred property or an office to another party.
"After thirty years on the bench, the judge demitted office with a brief, dignified statement."
"The provost demitted office at the end of his term, having served the burgh for a decade."
"By demitting the estate to his eldest son, he ensured the lands remained in the family."
When a Scottish judge steps down, the official record says they didn't resign — they 'demitted' office, preserving a verb that English has all but forgotten.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of demitted
'Demitted' comes from 'demit', borrowed from Latin 'dimittere' (from 'dis-', apart, plus 'mittere', to send), meaning to send away, dismiss, or let go. The word entered English via Anglo-Norman and Old French in the medieval period, where it carried senses of dismissing, abandoning, and — especially in Scottish legal usage — conveying or transferring land or office. It remains part of the same Latin root family as 'mission', 'missive', and 'transmit', all built on 'mittere'.
Related word forms
How demitted is actually used
'Demit' and its forms are rare today, surviving mainly in very formal contexts, historical writing, and Scottish legal language. The noun 'demission' (as in 'demission of office') appears in older constitutional documents. Avoid using the word in ordinary modern prose, where 'resigned' or 'stepped down' would be more natural.
Easily confused with demitted
'Dismissed' means removed from a post by another's authority, whereas 'demitted' means voluntarily resigning or giving up one's own office.
'Demoted' means lowered in rank while remaining in employment; 'demitted' means leaving or handing over a post altogether.