dignity
[dig-ni-tee]
- bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.
- nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.
- elevated rank, office, station, etc.
- relative standing; rank.
- a sign or token of respect: an impertinent question unworthy of the dignity of an answer.
- Archaic.
- person of high rank or title.
- such persons collectively.
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Origin of dignity
1175–1225; Middle English dignite < Anglo-French, Old French < Latin dignitās worthiness, equivalent to dign(us) worthy + -itās -ity
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Related Words
statusself-respectrespectabilitydecorumgreatnesspoisegracevirtuedecencystatureprestigequalityhonorgrandeurmoralityetiquettemajestymeritculturerenownExamples from the Web for dignity
Contemporary Examples
Yet she spoke of his dignity in such an insane situation and when she touched on his pain she expressed her own on his behalf.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left BehindBrin-Jonathan Butler
December 19, 2014
Pakistan was dancing for the U.S. dollar and joined up with it without any dignity.
“You can cut my hair, you can bald me, you can strip me naked and take away my dignity,” she said.
But what about terminally ill patients who live in states like New York, without a Death with Dignity law?
To me, what I was doing was helping them to die with dignity and love.
Historical Examples
Pericles has borne all his misfortunes with the dignity of an immortal.
PhilotheaLydia Maria Child
Youth is prone to endow its opinions with all the dignity of certain knowledge.
The SpendersHarry Leon Wilson
Were I to be queen of the universe, that dignity should not absolve me from my duty to you and to my father.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)Samuel Richardson
The woman was not at all of a bad sort, only her dignity was hurt.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
The whole rough appearance of the man was elevated into dignity.
Weighed and WantingGeorge MacDonald
dignity
- a formal, stately, or grave bearinghe entered with dignity
- the state or quality of being worthy of honourthe dignity of manual labour
- relative importance; rankhe is next in dignity to the mayor
- sense of self-importance (often in the phrases stand (or be) on one's dignity, beneath one's dignity)
- high rank, esp in government or the church
- a person of high rank or such persons collectively
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French dignite, from Latin dignitās merit, from dignus worthy
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for dignity
n.
early 13c., from Old French dignite "dignity, privilege, honor," from Latin dignitatem (nominative dignitas) "worthiness," from dignus "worth (n.), worthy, proper, fitting" from PIE *dek-no-, from root *dek- "to take, accept" (see decent).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper