demise
UK: dɪˈmaɪz | US: dɪˈmaɪz
n. the death of a person (often formal or legal)
n. the end or failure of an institution, idea, or system
Derived from Old French demise (feminine past participle of demettre, "to send down"), which traces back to Latin demittere (de- "down" + mittere "to send"). Originally used in legal contexts to denote the transfer of property or title (as if "sent down" to an heir), the term later generalized to mean "death" (metaphorically, the "transfer" of life). The semantic shift reflects the medieval view of death as a transactional event.
The king's demise marked the end of an era.
The company faced financial demise after the scandal.
Legal documents recorded the property's demise to her nephew.
Scientists debate the demise of the dinosaurs.
His sudden demise left the project unfinished.