dignity

B2 Topic:Ethics & Social Judgment

US /ˈdɪɡnɪti/ See IPA manual

Freq #4545

Meanings

1

noun
The quality of being worthy of respect, and of respecting yourself.

She faced her illness with great courage and dignity.
2

noun
Calm, serious, and controlled behavior that earns respect.

The judge conducted the trial with quiet dignity.
3

noun
A high rank, position, or title.

He was raised to the dignity of cardinal.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the quality of being worthy... self-regardself-respect self-worth

2 noun · calm, serious, and... gravitas

More worth worthiness

Word family

Forms dignities

Derived forms dignitudeundignity

Related forms affirmation deign dignified dignify integrityself-esteemself-respect self-worth

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

aloof dignity
a reserved and self-respecting manner that keeps others at a distance

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Dignity entered English in Middle English and ultimately comes from Latin dignus, “worthy.” The same Latin base produced deign and dignify.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English dignyte, from Old French dignité, from Latin dignitās (“worthiness, merit, dignity, grandeur, authority, rank, office”), from dignus (“worthy, appropriate”), from Proto-Italic *degnos, from Proto-Indo-European *dḱ-nos, from *deḱ- (“to take”). See also decus (“honor, esteem”) and decet (“it is fitting”). Cognate to deign. Doublet of dainty. In this sense, displaced native Old English weorþsċipe, which became Modern English worship.

*deḱ- Proto-Indo-European dignyte Middle English dignité Old French dignitās Latin *degnos Proto-Italic *dḱ-nos Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Ethics & Social Judgment

External links

# dignity

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈdɪɡnɪti/
**Frequency rank:** 4545

## Meanings
1. The quality of being worthy of respect, and of respecting yourself.
2. Calm, serious, and controlled behavior that earns respect.
3. A high rank, position, or title.

## Examples
- She faced her illness with great courage and dignity.
- The judge conducted the trial with quiet dignity.
- He was raised to the dignity of cardinal.

## Synonyms
- worth
- worthiness

## Derived Forms
- dignitude
- undignity

## Related Forms
- affirmation
- deign
- dignified
- dignify
- integrity
- self-esteem
- self-respect
- self-worth

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *deḱ-
- Root: dignyte
- Root: dignité
- Root: dignitās
- Root: *degnos
- Root: *dḱ-nos

## Etymology
Inherited from Middle English dignyte, from Old French dignité, from Latin dignitās (“worthiness, merit, dignity, grandeur, authority, rank, office”), from dignus (“worthy, appropriate”), from Proto-Italic *degnos, from Proto-Indo-European *dḱ-nos, from *deḱ- (“to take”). See also decus (“honor, esteem”) and decet (“it is fitting”). Cognate to deign. Doublet of dainty. In this sense, displaced native Old English weorþsċipe, which became Modern English worship.

## AI Etymology
dignity is inherited from Middle English dignyte, from Old French dignité, from Latin dignitās (“worthiness, merit, dignity, grandeur, authority, rank, office”), from dignus (“worthy, appropriate”), from Proto-Italic *degnos, from Proto-Indo-European *dḱ-nos, from *deḱ- (“to take”). See also decus (“honor, esteem”) and decet (“it is fitting”). Cognate to deign. Doublet of dainty. In this sense, displaced native Old English weorþsċipe, which became Modern English worship. Current senses include The quality of being worthy of respect, and of respecting yourself and Calm, serious, and controlled behavior that earns respect. English relatives and later formations include dignitude, undignity, affirmation, deign.

## Topics
- Ethics & Social Judgment

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