Meanings
comparative more decorous · superlative most decorous
- Marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards; becoming, seemly.
[S]ome grumbling voice, / Which now and then will make a slight inroad / Upon decorous silence, […]
1822 October 15, Quevedo Redivivus [pseudonym; Lord Byron], “The Vision of Judgment”, in The Liberal. Verse and Prose from the South, 2nd edition, volume I, number I, London: […] John Hunt, […], published 1823, →OCLC, stanza XCV, page 355 more examples
The narrovv path of truth and virtue inclines neither to the right nor left—it is a ſtraightforvvard buſineſs, and they vvho are earneſtly purſuing their road, may bound over many decorous prejudices, vvithout leaving modeſty behind.
1791 (date written), Mary Wollstonecraft, “Animadversions on Some of the Writers who have Rendered Women Objects of Pity, Bordering on Contempt”, in A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: With Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, 1st American edition, Boston, Mass.: […] Peter Edes for Thomas and Andrews, […], published 1792, →OCLC, section III, page 174There came a day when the round of decorous pleasures and solemn gaieties in which Mr. Jos Sedley’s family indulged, was interrupted by an event which happens in most houses.
1847 January – 1848 July, William Makepeace Thackeray, “In which Two Lights are Put Out”, in Vanity Fair […], London: Bradbury and Evans […], published 1848, →OCLC, page 545On these beautiful moonlight nights, Rome appears to keep awake and stirring, though in a quiet and decorous way.
1858 April 25 (date written), Nathaniel Hawthorne, “April 25th [1858]”, in Passages from the French and Italian Note-books of Nathaniel Hawthorne, volume I, London: Strahan & Co., […], published 1871, →OCLC, page 222To this Defensio Wordsworth afterward added a supplement, and the two form a treatise of permanent value for philosophic statement and decorous English.
1876, James Russell Lowell, “Wordsworth”, in Among My Books. Second Series., Boston, Mass.: James R[ipley] Osgood and Company, late Ticknor & Fields, and Fields, Osgood, & Co., →OCLC, page 224But who can fathom the subtleties of the human heart? Certainly not those who expect from it only decorous sentiments and normal emotions.
1919, W[illiam] Somerset Maugham, chapter XLIII, in The Moon and Sixpence, [New York, N.Y.]: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers […], →OCLC, page 223Synonyms: becomed, menseful, chaste, continent, correct, upstanding, delicate, decent · Antonyms: dedecorous, indecorous, undecorous
- obsoleteAppropriate, suitable.
[B]oth the truth vvhich the Prophecy aims at is faithfully conveyed, and that decorous embelliſhment in the external Cortex of the Prophecy punctually obſerved.
1664, H[enry] More, chapter IV, in Synopsis Prophetica; or, The Second Part of the Modest Enquiry into the Mystery of Iniquity: […], London: […] James Flesher, for William Morden […], →OCLC, book I, page 2252 more examples
And it is no vvonder this falling Star or Comet ſhould be looked upon as ſo miſchievous to Rivers and VVaters, vvhen Natural Hiſtory ſpeaks of falling Comets that have drunk up vvhole Rivers; ſo decorous is the repreſentation.
1680, Henry More, chapter VIII, in Apocalypsis Apocalypseos; or The Revelation of St John the Divine Unveiled. […], London: […] J. M. for J[ohn] Martyn, and W. Kettilby, […], →OCLC, paragraph 10, page 75[…] It is not ſo decorous in reſpect of God, that he ſhould αὐτουργεῖν ἅπαντα [autourgeîn hápanta], ſet his ovvn hand as it vvere to every vvork, and immediately do all the meaneſt and triflingſt things himſelf drudgingly, vvithout making uſe of any inferior or ſubordinate Miniſters.
1691, John Ray, “The Cartesian Hypothesis Considered and Censured”, in The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation. […], London: […] Samuel Smith, […], →OCLC, page 39Synonyms: allowable, appropriate, apropos, apposite, apt, comely, commensurate, correct · Antonyms: bad, discommensurate, improper, inappropriate, malapropos, inapt, incommensurate, inept
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveMarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards; becoming, seemly.
adjectiveAppropriate, suitable.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivecharacterized by propriety and dignity and good taste in manners and conduct
adjectiveaccording with custom or propriety
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*déḱos“that which is proper”
- Late Latindecorōsus“beautiful; elegant”
- Proto-Indo-European*deḱ-“to perceive; to take”
- Latindecōrus“becoming, fitting, proper, suitable”
- Englishdecorous
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).
More words from Latin, Proto-Indo-European, Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek εὔκοσμος
- εὔκοσμος (eúkosmos)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Arabic وَجِيه
- وَجِيه (wajīh)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Bulgarian благоприличен, пристоен
- благоприличен (blagopriličen)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- пристоен (pristoen)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Chinese Mandarin 端莊 /端庄
- 端莊 /端庄 (duānzhuāng)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Dutch goed, keurig
- goedmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- keurigmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- netmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- welvoeglijkmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Finnish säädyllinen
- säädyllinenmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
French bienséant
- bienséantmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
German anständig, geziemend
- anständigmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- geziemendmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- schicklichmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Greek σεμνός
- σεμνός (semnós)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Hindi शालीन, मर्यादित
- शालीन (śālīn)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- मर्यादित (maryādit)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- शोभनीय (śobhnīya)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Irish oiriúnach
- oiriúnachmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Italian decoroso, decente
- decorosomarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- decentemarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- dignitosomarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Lithuanian padorùs
- padorùsmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Norwegian Bokmål sømmelig
- sømmeligmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Polish stosowny, etykietalny
- stosownymarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- etykietalnymarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Romanian decoros, cuviincios
- decorosmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- cuviinciosmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Russian чи́нный, благопристо́йный
- чи́нный (čínnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- благопристо́йный (blagopristójnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- поря́дочный (porjádočnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- прили́чный (prilíčnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
- присто́йный (pristójnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Scottish Gaelic beusach
- beusachmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Spanish decoroso
- decorosomarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Ukrainian присто́йний
- присто́йний (prystójnyj)marked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Vietnamese đoan trang
- đoan trangmarked by behaviour, manners, etc., regarded as proper, tasteful, and in accordance with accepted standards
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with decorous
Cite this entry
decorous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decorous
“decorous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decorous. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “decorous,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/decorous.
Source: decorous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.