dignify
Americanverb (used with object)
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to confer honor or dignity upon; honor; ennoble.
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to give a high-sounding title or name to; confer unmerited distinction upon.
to dignify pedantry by calling it scholarship.
verb
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to invest with honour or dignity; ennoble
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to add distinction to
the meeting was dignified by the minister
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to add a semblance of dignity to, esp by the use of a pretentious name or title
she dignifies every plant with its Latin name
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dignify
1375–1425; late Middle English dignifien < Old French dignefier < Medieval Latin dignificāre, equivalent to Latin dign ( us ) worthy + -ificāre -ify
Explanation
To dignify is to grant nobility or respect to something. Dignifying raises the status of things. Dignity is a quality of honor and respect, so to dignify is to give greater respect and honor to something or someone. The presence of the President would dignify a military ceremony. Medals are given to dignify soldiers. Treating people with respect and taking them seriously dignifies them. Often, this word is used in a negative sense, as in "I wouldn't dignify him with an answer!" That means the speaker doesn't feel the person asking the question deserves respect.
Vocabulary lists containing dignify
The Cay
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Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
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Heat
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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.
Speeches from Turkson and Ban anchored the daylong Vatican workshop, titled, "Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity."
From Scientific American • Apr. 29, 2015
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, hosted a summit on the issue yesterday, and the name of the gathering was itself intended to get attention: “Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity: The Moral Dimensions of Climate Change and Sustainable Development.”
From MSNBC • Apr. 29, 2015
Called “Protect the Earth, Dignify Humanity,” the event will feature scientists and world religious leaders, aiming to build a global movement toward curbing climate change, according to the online program.
From Washington Times • Apr. 14, 2015
Dignify it by giving it a place and time.
From Training the Teacher by Schauffler, A. F.
Dignify yourself as a Man, and justify your living by being a Brother to All Mankind and a Citizen of the Universe.
From An Atheist Manifesto by Lewis, Joseph
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.
