comportment
Americannoun
noun
Synonym Usage
See behavior.
Etymology
Origin of comportment
First recorded in 1590–1600; from Middle French comportement; see comport 1, -ment
Explanation
Your comportment is the way you act, especially when you behave well. You might compliment a patient little boy on his comportment as he waits in line for a turn on the swings. You can use the noun comportment to describe both the way a person behaves and also the way he carries himself — his general manner. A queen's comportment is usually regal, a bit stiff, and dignified. The comportment of a bunch of little kids at an amusement park is very different. The Middle French root is comportement, "bearing or behavior," from the Latin comportare, "to bring together or collect."
Vocabulary lists containing comportment
The Nickel Boys
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
White Fang
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Nickel and Dimed
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Bezos attended that screening, which many of us saw as tacit acknowledgment that he was taking her lessons in character, comportment and competence to heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
Mr. Erving set the standard, for Michael Jordan and other future high-flying stars, with his on-court prowess and his off-court comportment.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 12, 2026
It’s a brilliant commentary on the all-too-familiar bodily comportment and fixed gaze of the modern digital citizen.
From Slate ● Apr. 17, 2025
He's not a doctor, but his comportment and the setting give him authority.
From Salon ● Sep. 25, 2022
You think of all the films you’ve seen, Audie Murphy and Gary Cooper and the Cisco Kid, all those heroes, and you can’t help falling back on them as models of proper comportment.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
