decorous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decorous
First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin decōrus “seemly, becoming,” derivative of decus (stem decor- ) “an ornament, splendor, honor,” akin to decēre “to be acceptable, be fitting” and docēre “to teach” (i.e., “to make fitting”) + adjective suffix -ōsus; see decent, docent, -ous ( def. )
Explanation
Something that is decorous is dignified, proper, and in good taste, like your decorous great-aunt who always wears a dress — even when she's only headed to the grocery store. The adjective decorous shares its origins with decoration. Both words come from the Latin word decor, meaning "beauty, elegance, charm, grace, ornament." So, something decorous is attractive. Decorous can also mean "dignified or proper," like your decorous habit of saying, "How do you do?" when you meet someone for the first time.
Vocabulary lists containing decorous
Grade 12, List 2
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The Scarlet Letter
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"What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" by Frederick Douglass
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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.
But such disagreements tended to be handled with the decorous language of diplomacy.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2026
Their work has been seen as reflecting their vastly different personas—Manet the dashing, witty, impetuous flâneur; Morisot the reserved, intelligent and exceedingly decorous bourgeoise—through the lens of their separate worlds.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2025
Davidsen is statuesque, and her sound is too: grand and decorous.
From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2024
To make a point she moved "outside the usual decorous modes of conversation that civil servants use", he says.
From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2023
“His Highness wishes to entertain a more decorous final image of you than being held over a rock and berated by some parcel of insanity.”
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson
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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.
