deign
[ deyn ]
/ deɪn /
verb (used without object)
to think fit or in accordance with one's dignity; condescend: He would not deign to discuss the matter with us.
verb (used with object)
to condescend to give or grant: He deigned no reply.
Obsolete. to condescend to accept.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
- deific,
- deification,
- deiform,
- deify,
- deighton,
- deil,
- deimos,
- deindex,
- deindividuation,
- deindustrialization
Origin of deign
1250–1300; Middle English deinen < Old French deignier < Latin dignārī to judge worthy, equivalent to dign(us) worthy + -ārī infinitive suffix
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for deign
deign
/ (deɪn) /
verb
(intr) to think it fit or worthy of oneself (to do something); condescendhe will not deign to speak to us
(tr) archaic to vouchsafehe deigned no reply
Word Origin for deign
C13: from Old French deignier, from Latin dignārī to consider worthy, from dignus worthy
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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deign
c.1300, from Old French deignier (Modern French daigner), from Latin dignari "to deem worthy or fit" (source of Italian degnare, Spanish deñar), from dignus "worthy" (see dignity). Sense of "take or accept graciously" led to that of "condescend" (1580s). Related: Deigned; deigning.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper