decorous

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*déḱos“that which is proper”
2. Late Latin · derived fromdecorōsus“beautiful; elegant”
3. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*deḱ-“to perceive; to take”
4. Latin · derived fromdecōrus“becoming, fitting, proper, suitable”
5. English todaydecorous

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).

Words from the same roots