decent

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*deḱ-“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”
2. Latin · derived fromdecēns
3. Middle French · borrowed fromdécent
4. English todaydecent

Borrowed from Middle French décent, or its source, Latin decēns, present participle of decet (“it is fitting or suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”) (compare Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “to appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “to accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.

Words from the same roots