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respectable

[ri-spek-tuh-buh l]
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adjective
  1. worthy of respect or esteem; estimable; worthy: a respectable citizen.
  2. of good social standing, reputation, etc.: a respectable neighborhood.
  3. suitable or good enough to be seen or used: respectable clothes; respectable language.
  4. of moderate excellence; fairly good; fair: a respectable performance.
  5. appreciable in size, number, or amount: a respectable turnout.
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Origin of respectable

First recorded in 1580–90; respect + -able
Related formsre·spect·a·ble·ness, nounre·spect·a·bly, adverbnon·re·spect·a·ble, adjectivenon·re·spect·a·ble·ness, nounnon·re·spect·a·bly, adverbpre·re·spect·a·ble, adjectivequa·si-re·spect·a·ble, adjectivequa·si-re·spect·a·bly, adverbsem·i·re·spect·a·ble, adjectivesu·per·re·spect·a·ble, adjectivesu·per·re·spect·a·ble·ness, nounsu·per·re·spect·a·bly, adverbul·tra·re·spect·a·ble, adjectiveul·tra·re·spect·a·bly, adverbul·tra·re·spect·a·ble·ness, nounun·re·spect·a·ble, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for respectable on Thesaurus.com
1. honorable. 4. middling, passable.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for respectably

Historical Examples

  • I've two sisters, respectably married and living in another part of the state.

    The Straw

    Eugene O'Neill

  • But what had maintained me respectably was now found inadequate to the support of us both.

    An Outcast

    F. Colburn Adams

  • I was dressed and lived as a gentleman, or rather I should say respectably.

  • It was respectably attended in point of character as well as of numbers.

  • There were seven children; and they were all educated most respectably.

    The Bertrams

    Anthony Trollope

British Dictionary definitions for respectably

respectable

adjective
  1. having or deserving the respect of other people; estimable; worthy
  2. having good social standing or reputation
  3. having socially or conventionally acceptable morals, standards, etca respectable woman
  4. relatively or fairly good; considerablea respectable salary
  5. fit to be seen by other people; presentable
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Derived Formsrespectability or rare respectableness, nounrespectably, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for respectably

respectable

adj.

"worthy of esteem," 1580s; see respect (v.) + -able. Sense of "having an honest reputation" is from 1755. That of "occupying a fairly good position in society" is c.1800. Related: Respectably.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper