démodés

Démodés is the masculine plural form of démodé, a French adjective meaning out of fashion or outdated. It is used to describe objects, styles, or ideas that are no longer considered current or fashionable. The term can apply to clothing, design, technologies, trends, or social practices, and may be used neutrally or with a slightly evaluative tone.

Etymology: The word derives from dé- (a prefix indicating a reversal) attached to mode, from the French word for fashion. The past participle démodé expresses a completed state; the feminine and plural forms are démodée, démodés, démodées. The term has been part of French since at least the 19th century, evolving alongside changing fashion cycles.

Usage and nuance: Démodé commonly contrasts with à la mode, tendance, or branché. It can describe clothing, furniture, technology, or ideas that are no longer in current use. The tone varies from neutral description to mild criticism; in everyday speech it can convey nostalgia when something is perceived as retro rather than merely unfashionable.

In culture, what is démodé may re-enter popularity as vintage or retro, reflecting cyclical fashion. The word also interacts with other terms: démodé in design signals obsolescence; in politics or social norms it can indicate outdated attitudes. Overall, démodés describes a state of being out of fashion in a given time and place.