demises

Demise is a term with several related meanings in English. In common usage, it denotes death or decease, especially in formal or obituary contexts. It can also refer to the end or destruction of something, such as the demise of an era, regime, or organization. In legal language, demise has a distinct sense as the transfer of an interest in real property, typically by a lease: a landlord demises (leases) premises to a tenant. In this sense, the property or the lease itself may be described as the demised premises.

Origin and usage in property law: The term derives from Old French demis and Latin dimittere through legal tradition; it originally meant to deliver or convey and thus came to designate the act of transferring an interest by lease. In deeds and leases, the phrase demised premises is standard and identifies the property conveyed to the tenant. The use is predominantly British and Commonwealth legal writing, though it is understood in other jurisdictions that follow common law.

Contemporary use: In everyday language, demise frequently refers to death. In discourse about institutions, demise is used to describe an organization or system's end. The plural demises is used when referring to several deaths or to multiple lease transfers. The word should be used with care to avoid ambiguity; for example, the demise of the corporation could mean dissolution or its acquisition, depending on context.

Related terms include lease, tenancy, conveyance, and death.