deferent

D2E1F4E1R1E1N1T1
UK/ˈdɛfəɹənt/

adjective

Showing deference; deferential.

Similar
deferentialregardfulrespectful
OriginMiddle English defferent ← Middle French deferent ← Latin dēferēns, dēferentis →
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Meanings

deferent1

adjectivedeferent (comparative more deferent, superlative most deferent)

comparative more deferent · superlative most deferent

  1. Showing deference; deferential.

deferent2

noundeferent (plural deferents)

plural deferents

  1. anatomyA duct in the body serving to carry away from, as opposed to an afferent one.
  2. historicalPtolemaic astronomyAn imaginary circle surrounding the Earth, in whose periphery either the heavenly body or the centre of the heavenly body's epicycle was supposed to be carried round.
  3. obsoleteThat which carries or conveys.

    though air be the most favorable deferent of sounds

    1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC
adjectivedeferent (not comparable)
  1. not comparableobsoleteServing to carry; bearing.

    Bodies deferent.

    1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveshowing deference

Similar
deferentialregardfulrespectful
Also see
deferentialregardfulrespectful

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

deferent · adjective

From defer and deference; see -ent.

Full word history & related roots →

deferent · noun, adjective

  1. Latindēferēns, dēferentis
  2. Middle Frenchdeferent
  3. Middle Englishdefferent
  4. Englishdeferent

From Middle English defferent, from Middle French deferent (modern French déférent) or its etymon Latin dēferēns, dēferentis.

More words from Middle English, Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian почти́телен
  • почти́телен (počtítelen)showing deference
Persian باادب
  • باادب (bâadab)showing deference
Russian почти́тельный
  • почти́тельный (počtítelʹnyj)showing deference
Spanish deferente
  • deferenteshowing deference
Tagalog masunurin
  • masunurinshowing deference
Cite this entry
APA

deferent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deferent

MLA

“deferent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deferent. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deferent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deferent.

Source: deferent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.