Dignity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈdɪɡnɪti/

Definitions

1. The quality of being worthy of honor and respect, or behaving in a serious and controlled manner that commands respect
2. The state of being worthy of respect and honor, which can also refer to a composed and serious demeanor deserving admiration
3. A characteristic that signifies self-respect and honor, as well as the composed behavior that elicits respect from others

Etymology: Before "dignity" meant worth or rank, Old English speakers used "weorþscipe," which survives today as "worship." The Latin "dignitas" in its various senses, from "dignus" meaning "worthy" or "appropriate," took over that territory, and the English word came by way of Old French "dignité." Its older sense was about standing and merit: the honor a person had earned or the office they held. Two things make it a strange survivor. It is a doublet of "dainty," meaning the two words descend from the same Latin root by separate routes, one through French into English as a formal term of rank and the other as a word for something fine and delicate. Both also trace back to the same ancient root meaning "to take," which the word "deign," meaning to condescend, shares too. Middle English recorded "dignyte" as a term for rank and honor, and the sense of composed, serious bearing developed later from the idea of a person who carries their worth visibly.

Synonyms: grace, nobility, seriousness, self-respect, majesty

Antonyms: indignity, humiliation, shame, disgrace, abasement