dignitary
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of dignitary
Explanation
A dignitary is a very important person (VIP), usually from another country. Major dignitaries from other countries might get to meet the President when they visit the U.S. If you see the word dignity in dignitary, it gives you a clue to its meaning. When we treat people with dignity, we're treating them with respect. Dignitaries get a lot of respect, because they're important and powerful people in their country — heads of state, ambassadors, and royalty are all dignitaries. It's not easy to become a dignitary: you'd better either be born into the right family or become a powerful person in some other way.
Vocabulary lists containing dignitary
Unit 1: Telling Details
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Unit 1: Telling Details
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"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
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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.
See Examples For:
Zach Witkoff also met Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in April of last year, during a visit where he was feted like a visiting dignitary, with a fireworks display in his honor.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 29, 2026
Despite early courtesies - India's then national security adviser Brajesh Mishra was the first foreign dignitary to congratulate Khaleda Zia - trust proved thin.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
California officials then put into place a plan for the California Highway Patrol to provide dignitary protection for Harris.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 2025
The Rex Organization, founded in the 19th century, rolls every Fat Tuesday, with the role of Rex, King of Carnival, filled each year by a different local dignitary.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 9, 2024
“Oh, nothing like that. My sister Sudha met with fracture sometime back,” Comrade Pillai said, as though Fracture were a visiting dignitary.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
He was greeted by crowds of well-wishers in Mill Road, before speaking to dignitaries and worshippers inside the building.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Iranians began to gather on Friday for the funeral ceremonies of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, as officials and international dignitaries paid their last respects to the man who ran the country for three-and-a-half decades.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
After Miller’s death in 1935, the hotel’s reputation spread even further, attracting dignitaries of the day — and the future.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2026
In normal circumstances, when American dignitaries come to Normandy for the anniversary to pay their respects, it’s a solemn but proud occasion.
From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026
“The Empire State Building has been the location of dozens of movies, the reception site of foreign dignitaries, and even had a World War Two bomber crash into the seventy-ninth floor in 1945.”
From "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer
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.
