dignify

[dig-nuh-fahy]

verb (used with object)

dignified, dignifying 

1. to confer honor or dignity upon; honor; ennoble.

2. to give a high-sounding title or name to; confer unmerited distinction upon.

   to dignify pedantry by calling it scholarship.

dignify

/ ˈdɪɡnɪˌfaɪ /

verb

1. to invest with honour or dignity; ennoble

2. to add distinction to

   the meeting was dignified by the minister

3. 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

• overdignify verb (used with object)
• quasi-dignifying adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dignify¹

1375–1425; late Middle English dignifien < Old French dignefier < Medieval Latin dignificāre, equivalent to Latin dign ( us ) worthy + -ificāre -ify

Word History and Origins

Origin of dignify¹

C15: from Old French dignifier, from Late Latin dignificāre, from Latin dignus worthy + facere to make

Example Sentences

"It was so dignified and so sensitive to Conner," she said.

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Breeds with higher wolf ancestry were more often described as "suspicious of strangers," "independent," "dignified," "alert," "loyal," "reserved," and "territorial."

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Had I been there, I would have asked him point blank: “Sir, do you think that’s a dignified response from the president of the United States to call a reporter a piggy?”

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However, signatories to the letter highlighted how the bill had "already undergone unprecedented scrutiny" and "offers dying people the choice of a safe, dignified end while strengthening protections for the vulnerable".

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“These are jobs that enable family caregivers to go to work. They enable a dignified quality of life,” she said.

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Related Words

• exalt 
• magnify