decorous

C2+ Topic:Senses & Perception

US /ˈdɛkərəs/ UK /ˈdɛkərəs/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
correct and proper in behavior or appearance

The mourners maintained a decorous silence.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · correct and proper in... proper seemly becoming dignified correct mannerly genteel tasteful

Opposites

indecorous improper unseemly vulgar unbecoming

Word family

Derived forms decorouslydecorousness

Related forms decorumdecordecency

Etymology

From Latin decōrus ('seemly, becoming'), from decor ('grace, beauty, fitness'), from decēre ('to be fitting'), from PIE *dek- ('to take, be suitable'), plus the English suffix -ous.

decōrus Latin decēre Latin *dek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Senses & Perception Word Formation & Derivatives

# decorous

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** ˈdɛkərəs
**IPA (UK):** ˈdɛkərəs

## Meanings
1. correct and proper in behavior or appearance

## Examples
- The mourners maintained a decorous silence.

## Synonyms
- proper
- seemly
- becoming
- dignified
- correct
- mannerly
- genteel
- tasteful

## Antonyms
- indecorous
- improper
- unseemly
- vulgar
- unbecoming

## Derived Forms
- decorously
- decorousness

## Related Forms
- decorum
- decor
- decency

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: decōrus
- Root: decēre
- Root: *dek-

## Etymology
From Latin decōrus ('seemly, becoming'), from decor ('grace, beauty, fitness'), from decēre ('to be fitting'), from PIE *dek- ('to take, be suitable'), plus the English suffix -ous.

## AI Etymology
Decorous is from Latin decōrus ('seemly, becoming'), from decor ('grace, beauty, fitness'), from decēre ('to be fitting'), from PIE *dek- ('to take, be suitable'), plus the English suffix -ous. Important recorded forms include decōrus (Latin), decēre (Latin), and *dek- (Proto-Indo-European). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers correct and proper in behavior or appearance. The wider family includes derived forms such as decorously and decorousness and related words such as decorum, decor, and decency.

## Topics
- Senses & Perception
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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