respectful

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /rɪˈspɛktfəl/ UK /rɪˈspɛktfʊl/ See IPA manual

adj

Meanings

1

adj
showing deference or regard for others

He gave a respectful nod to the elders as he entered.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · showing deference or regard... deferential courteous reverent polite civil considerate dutiful

Opposites

disrespectful rude insolent contemptuous impertinent

Word family

Forms respectfully

Derived forms respectfullyrespectfulness

Related forms respect respectable respectability spectacle

Etymology

From respect + -ful, from Latin respectus ('regard'), past participle of respicere ('to look back at, regard'), from re- ('back') + specere ('to look').

respicere Latin specere Latin *spek- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# respectful

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

## Meanings
1. showing deference or regard for others

## Examples
- He gave a respectful nod to the elders as he entered.

## Synonyms
- deferential
- courteous
- reverent
- polite
- civil
- considerate
- dutiful

## Antonyms
- disrespectful
- rude
- insolent
- contemptuous
- impertinent

## Derived Forms
- respectfully
- respectfulness

## Related Forms
- respect
- respectable
- respectability
- spectacle

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: respicere
- Root: specere
- Root: *spek-

## Etymology
From respect + -ful, from Latin respectus ('regard'), past participle of respicere ('to look back at, regard'), from re- ('back') + specere ('to look').

## AI Etymology
Respectful comes from respect + -ful, from Latin respectus ('regard'), past participle of respicere ('to look back at, regard'), from re- ('back') + specere ('to look'). The historical trail runs through Latin respicere, Latin specere and Proto-Indo-European *spek-. Morphologically, the surface form is analyzable into prefixes, suffixes, compounds, or participial endings that carry part of the history. In modern use it means showing deference or regard for others. Derived formations include respectfully, respectfulness; related forms include respect, respectable, respectability, spectacle.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

markdown

respectful

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback