The Word Demure Is All Over TikTok, but What Does That Word Even Mean?

Every now and then, TikTok will, as a collective body of individuals, become completely obsessed with a certain word. Right now, that word is demure, and it's driving some people crazy. Suddenly, everyone, everywhere is describing everything as demure, and some people are out of the loop.

The trend of describing things as demure started on TikTok, but it has since taken over the entire internet. Here's what we know about what the word means, and where it comes from.

The actual definition of demure is "reserved, modest, or shy," and it's usually used to describe a woman who is not overly confrontational or aggressive. The term's traditional use is actually a little outdated today, as it describes the way women were often expected to behave in certain social settings where they were seen to be in over their heads. It would fit in perfectly on, like, Bridgerton.

As it's being used on TikTok, though, it seems to have taken on another meaning entirely.

The trend of describing things as demure started with TikTok user Jools Lebron (@joolieannie), who uses the phrase "very demure, very mindful" in many of her videos. Since her videos started going viral, many have taken that phrase, and the word demure in particular, and started applying it to other situations, whether the word actually made sense or not. Basically, it's a meme that has become pretty dominant online.

So, people keep saying demure on social media because they think it's a funny way to describe things. It's not a word that's very commonplace anymore, in part because it is not a very feminist way to describe women, and so people have enjoyed using it to describe everything from their brunch to the makeup they put on for a job interview.

We're probably currently at the moment of peak saturation for the "demure" meme, but anyone who has been on the internet for any length of time knows that memes like this don't last forever. For now, people find it funny to describe things as demure, but sometime soon, they will be tired of this particular trend and move on to something else.

That's the way the internet has always worked, and why this meme seems to be inescapable at the moment, all that's required is just a little bit of patience before people find something else to glom onto. That's not necessarily a good or bad thing, but it is undoubtedly the way the internet works. Something is a funny bit until it's done one too many times, and then it's over.

If you find the whole demure thing a little annoying, you can just wait for it to blow over. If you're relishing every meme, then you should savor them while they last. Nothing lasts forever on social media, and in fact, few things actually last more than a few days.