demesne common?

[TRex]

According to Ngram it used to be far more common in British English (not surprising, IMO), but has become much less so. The second least played word in the puzzle (emend) was played by 265 players; demesne by only 91 players. A candidate for reclassification?

[Jacki]

I didn’t get it. And I can’t say that it’s familiar to me at all.

[mkenuk]

I have come across the word occasionally in novels, but without looking it up I wouldn't have been able to explain exactly what it means.
It's best categorized, perhaps, as 'archaic legal jargon';
Common? No way. I'm surprised that as many as 91 players knew it.

The online anagram solvers must have been busy that day.

 

[les303]

I failed to play " demesne " & have never heard of it.

[ridethetalk]

I failed to play " demesne " & have never heard of it.

That's funny Les - it seems one person's well-read reading material is another's couldn't be bothered with that...

[yelnats]

I don't think there have been any demesnes, manors, or lords of the Manor in Oz.

I had never heard of it.

[auntiemo]

Seedmen shuffled eventually equals demesne !

[Alan W]

This word is so rare that nobody's claimed that it seems like a very common word to them, and one that any well-read person would be familiar with! 

It will be classed as rare in future.

[Jacki]

Good call.

[TRex]

Thanks, Alan.