Comportments

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The manner in which one conducts oneself in various situations
2. The behaviors and actions an individual displays in social contexts
3. The ways in which a person's demeanor and attitude are expressed through their actions

Etymology: "Comportments" is simply the plural of "comportment," so it is worth looking at the noun it comes from. "Comportment" arrived from Late Middle French "comportement," a noun built from the verb "comporter," which means "to behave" or "to conduct oneself." That verb is itself "comport," and the noun takes its form from the common French pattern of adding "-ment" to a verb to name the action or result of it. The verb "comport" carried a sense of carrying or bearing, which is why the English word once had a more physical flavour before it settled into talk about conduct. The plural "comportments" simply counts separate instances of that conduct, so it refers to the individual ways a person's bearing shows itself in action.

Synonyms: conduct, behavior, demeanor, manner, attitude