decent

English Online Dictionary. What means decent‎? What does decent mean?

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle French décent, or its source, Latin decēns, present participle of decet (“it is fitting or suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”) (compare Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “I appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “I accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdiːsənt/
• Rhymes: -iːsənt

Adjective

decent (comparative more decent, superlative most decent)

1. Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances.
2. (of a person) Having a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness.
3. (informal) Sufficiently clothed or dressed to be seen.

4. Fair; acceptable; okay.
5. Significant; substantial.

6. Conforming to perceived standards of good taste.
7. (obsolete) Comely; shapely; well-formed.

Usage notes

• This term has a mildly positive connotation.

Synonyms

• (conforming suitably to moral standards): good, moral
• (good enough): See Thesaurus:satisfactory

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “conforming suitably to moral standards”): bad, immoral
• (antonym(s) of “sufficiently clothed”): indecent, underdressed
• (antonym(s) of “good enough”): inadequate, poor, unsatisfactory

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

• “decent”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Etymology 2

Noun

decent (usually uncountable, plural decents)

1. Misspelling of descent.

Anagrams

• cedent

Friulian

Etymology

From Latin decens.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /deˈt͡ʃent/

Adjective

decent

1. decent

Latin

Verb

decent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of decet

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin decens.

Pronunciation

Adjective

decent m (feminine singular decenta, masculine plural decents, feminine plural decentas)

1. decent

Derived terms

• decentament

Related terms

• decéncia

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French décent, from Latin decens.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /deˈt͡ʃent/

Adjective

decent m or n (feminine singular decentă, masculine plural decenți, feminine and neuter plural decente)

1. decent

Declension

Further reading

• decent in DEX online—Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)