If you have an account on TikTok, you have most likely seen at least one video that uses the phrase "very demure" as the sound, or even in the description. Many people have no idea how the word "demure" (referring to a slightly reserved and modest person) got its name, but here we are! "Demure" has attracted the attention of creators on TikTok, the biggest brands, and apparently it has become popular.
How did "demure" become TikTok's favorite word?
It all started when tiktok Jools Lebron shared some tips on how to be a humble person at work, presentable and cool. For about a week, Lebron advised her 1.5 million followers on how to look "modest" in various situations, including family trips; bill in a bar; even the presence in a show with drag queens.
Immediately, people on TikTok became obsessed with the word "demure", using it satirically, or as a joke with their followers. "Demure" also comes in the form of a 'mockery' about some people's obsession with brands that scream "luxury", money and the tendency to show off how much money they have. In a video, Lebron shows that we should be "modest" and "reserved" during a trip, because as she says: "Ladies, we are not at the Met Gala." She encourages chicks not to try too hard and dress "immodestly".
"Demure" has become the most used word on TikTok recently, and brands as diverse as CVS, Elf Cosmetics and Delta have spotted it by commenting on Lebron's videos. Other people make fun of the trend. Someone orders pizza and eats it with small bites, fixed "demure"; another woman says she got engaged, but didn't make it too big, showing her engagement ring in the video.
@bymelissaflores My #demure queen taught me @Jools Lebron ? original sound - melissaflores
According to Jess Zafarris, etymologist and author of "Once Upon a Word: A Word-Origin Dictionary for Kids," the word "demure" means "reserved, modest, shy." The root comes from the Latin "maturus", which means a "mature/mature" person.
"Demure is used for women who are well-behaved, inconspicuous, reserved and serious," she adds.
Further, it follows:
"Demure" was used in the 15th and 16th centuries as a way to label a hypocritical person who hides a dark side of himself. "I like how 'demure' is being used on TikTok right now, because it uses the word with a serious guise, but at the same time, they make jokes, so they stick to the definition of the word, which is related to a facade."
So be careful! Be demure and modest. Or not...
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