reverent

[ rev-er-uh nt, rev-ruh nt ]

/ ˈrɛv ər ənt, ˈrɛv rənt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reverent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

feeling, exhibiting, or characterized by reverence; deeply respectful: a reverent greeting.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

revere, revere, paul, reverence, reverend, reverend mother, reverent, reverential, reverie, revers, reversal, reversal film

Origin of reverent

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin reverent- (stem of reverēns), present participle of reverērī to revere¹; see -ent

Related forms

rev·er·ent·ly, adverbrev·er·ent·ness, nounnon·rev·er·ent, adjectivenon·rev·er·ent·ly, adverb

self-rev·er·ent, adjectiveun·rev·er·ent, adjectiveun·rev·er·ent·ly, adverb

Can be confused

reverend reverent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for reverently

There is a sign urging quiet, so you approach slowly and reverently, as you might an important tomb.
My Visit To Hell|Christopher Buckley|January 30, 2009|DAILY BEAST
Already her army of disciples speak of her reverently as "Our Mother."
Christian Science|Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)
Firstly, he picked up the charred fragment of the letter, and smoothed it out carefully and reverently as he would a relic.
El Dorado|Baroness Orczy
An elderly man approached the steps, and reverently uncovering his gray locks, essayed to explain the matter.
The White Old Maid (From "Twice Told Tales")|Nathaniel Hawthorne

Hush, boys,” said he, reverently; “the little fellow is dead.
The Cabin on the Prairie|C. H. (Charles Henry) Pearson
I am afraid I'm a bit of a barbarian, and don't reckon with them as reverently as I ought.
The Gateless Barrier|Lucas Malet

British Dictionary definitions for reverently

reverent

/ (ˈrɛvərənt, ˈrɛvrənt) /

adjective

feeling, expressing, or characterized by reverence

Derived Forms

reverently, adverbreverentness, noun

Word Origin for reverent

C14: from Latin reverēns respectful

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