Link Centre Dictionary

decorous

de·co·rous

US/ˈdɛkəɹəs/ uncommon obsolete

adjective

1.

characterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct

  • “the tete-a-tete was decorous in the extreme”
Antonyms
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2.

according with custom or propriety

  • “her becoming modesty”
  • “comely behavior”
  • “it is not comme il faut for a gentleman to be constantly asking for money”
  • “a decent burial”
  • “seemly behavior”
Synonyms
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Origin

From the following: * Latin decōrus (“becoming, fitting, proper, suitable”) + English -ous (suffix adjectives denoting presence of a quality in any degree, typically an abundance). Decōrus is derived from decor (“elegrance, grace; charm beauty”) + -us (suffix forming adjectives); and decor is from decēre, the present active infinitive of decet (“to adorn; to be decent; to be proper or suitable”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to perceive; to take”). * Possibly also influenced by Late Latin decorōsus (“beautiful; elegant”), from decoris + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of’ forming adjectives from nouns). Decoris is the genitive singular of decus (“beauty, grace, ornament, splendour; distinction, glory, honour”), from Proto-Indo-European *déḱos (“that which is proper”), from *deḱ- (see above).

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See also

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.