dignity

[ dig-ni-tee ]
See synonyms for dignity on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural dig·ni·ties.
  1. bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.

  2. nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.

  1. elevated rank, office, station, etc.

  2. relative standing; rank.

  3. a sign or token of respect: an impertinent question unworthy of the dignity of an answer.

  4. Archaic.

    • person of high rank or title.

    • such persons collectively.

Origin of dignity

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English dignite, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin dignitās “worthiness,” from dign(us) “worthy” + -itās -ity

Words Nearby dignity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use dignity in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dignity

dignity

/ (ˈdɪɡnɪtɪ) /


nounplural -ties
  1. a formal, stately, or grave bearing: he entered with dignity

  2. the state or quality of being worthy of honour: the dignity of manual labour

  1. relative importance; rank: he is next in dignity to the mayor

  2. sense of self-importance (often in the phrases stand (or be) on one's dignity, beneath one's dignity)

  3. high rank, esp in government or the church

  4. a person of high rank or such persons collectively

Origin of dignity

1
C13: from Old French dignite, from Latin dignitās merit, from dignus worthy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012