deferential
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deferential
1815–25; after deference, by analogy with such pairs as residence: residential
Explanation
When a young person shows respect and obedience to an older person, they’re being deferential to the elder’s wisdom and experience. To be obedient, courteous, or dutiful are all ways of being deferential. Bowing low to the Queen is a deferential act when visiting Buckingham Palace. On sports teams, rookies are usually deferential to the veterans and star players, while all players should be deferential to the coach. All employees are expected to be at least a little deferential to their bosses. Being deferential shows respect, but also means "I know my place, and it's lower than yours."
Vocabulary lists containing deferential
Dog Vocabulary: A Canine Lexicon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Deferential as he was to the stars when it came to playing ability, Jacobs was assertive when it came to teaching.
From Golf Digest • Jan. 16, 2017
James spent the earlier part of this tournament in the role of Mr. Deferential.
From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2012
Deferential to law-and-order needs, the court was usually thought of as reluctant to tackle large issues, preferring to leave more decision-making to legislatures and local courts.
From Time Magazine Archive
Deferential and eager to please, Quayle is more likely to be the kind of No. 2 Bush was and yearns to clone now: blindly loyal and deeply grateful.
From Time Magazine Archive
Instead, he turns into Deferential Store Owner like I’ve seen him do a million times to a million customers.
From "The Sun Is Also a Star" by Nicola Yoon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
