deign

D2E1I1G2N1
US, UK/deɪn/

verb

To consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to vouchsafe.

“He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him.”

Similar
condescenddescend
Opposite
disdain
OriginMiddle English deinen ← Old French daigner ← Latin dignāre →
UncommonScrabble 7
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Meanings

verbdeign (third-person singular simple present deigns, present participle deigning, simple past and past participle deigned)

present singular third person deigns · participle present deigning · participle past deigned · past deigned · first person past singular deigned · archaic present second person singular deignest · past second person singular deigned · archaic past second person singular deignedst · present singular third person deigns · archaic present singular third person deigneth · past singular third person deigned · past plural deigned · past subjunctive deigned · participle present deigning · participle past deigned

  1. transitiveTo consider it appropriate or worthy to do or give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to vouchsafe.

    Nor vvould vve deigne him buriall of his men, / Till he diſburſed, at Saint Colmes ynch, / Ten thouſand Dollars, to our generall vſe.

    c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], page 131, column 2
    4 more examples

    [T]hough this my vvorke, ovvne not vvorth enough to deſerve your patronage, yet ſuch is your benigne humanity, that I am confident you vvill daigne it your protection, under vvhich it vvillingly ſhrovvdes it ſelfe.

    1634, William Wood, “To the Right Worshipfull, My Much Honored Friend, Sir William Armyne, Knight and Baronet”, in New Englands Prospect. A True, Lively, and Experimentall Description of that Part of America, Commonly Called New England; […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, […], →OCLC, 1st part, page 8

    And sure a willing ear she well might deign / To one whose tales may equally engage / The wondering mind of youth, the thoughtful heart of age.

    1825, Robert Southey, “Canto III”, in A Tale of Paraguay, London: […] [A[ndrew] & R[obert] Spottiswoode] for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, […], →OCLC, stanza 18, page 86

    He, who usually hardly deigned a glance at his infants, now lay gazing with inexpressible softness and sadness at the little sleeping face; […]

    1854, [Charlotte Mary Yonge], chapter IX, in Heartsease or The Brother’s Wife […], volume II, London: John W[illiam] Parker and Son […], →OCLC, page 224

    O LORD, Jesus Christ, who, before ascending into heaven, didst promise to send the Holy Ghost to finish thy work in the souls of thy Apostles and disciples, deign to grant the same Holy Spirit to me, that he may perfect in my soul the work of thy grace and thy love.

    1961, “Prayer for the Seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost”, in Novena to the Holy Ghost […], [United States]: Catholic Book Publishing Co., →OCLC, page 6
  2. obsoletetransitiveTo consider it appropriate or worthy to accept or take (something).

    Shee deignes not my good will, but doth reprove / And of my rurall muſick holdeth ſcorne.

    1579, Immeritô [pseudonym; Edmund Spenser], “Ianuarye. Ægloga Prima.”, in The Shepheardes Calender: […], London: […] Hugh Singleton, […], →OCLC, folio 2, recto
    3 more examples

    Go, go, be gone, to ſaue your Ship from vvrack, / VVhich cannot periſh hauing thee aboarde, / Being deſtin’d to a drier death on ſhore: / I muſt goe ſend ſome better Meſſenger, / I fear my Iulia vvould not daigne my lines, / Receiuing them from ſuch a vvorthleſſe poſt.

    c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 21, column 1

    Thou haſt eſtrang'd thy ſelf, and deigneſt not our land: / Farre off to others novv, thy fauour honour breeds, / And high diſdaine doth cauſe thee ſhun our clime (I feare) […]

    1595, Ed. Spencer [i.e., Edmund Spenser], Colin Clouts Come Home Againe, London: […] T[homas] C[reede] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, signature G3, verso

    [A]t thy heele / Did Famine follovv, […] Thou did'ſt drinke / The ſtale [urine] of Horſes, and the gilded Puddle / VVhich Beaſts vvould cough at. Thy pallat thẽ [then] did daine / The rougheſt Berry, on the rudeſt Hedge.

    c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv], page 344, column 1

    Antonyms: disdain

  3. obsoletetransitiveOften followed by of: to consider (someone) as worthy of something; to dignify.

    VVill you not daigne his Majeſty vvith an Anſvver?

    1591 (date written), [Daniel Defoe], “Part II. Of the Church in Her Growing State.. Addenda. Here Follows Some Original Papers and Accounts of Things, which are Referred to in the Foregoing Part. No. D. Here Follows the Account which the Presbyterian Party Give of the Same Conference, Extracted from the Memorials of Some of the Persons Present, and from [David] Calderwood’s History of the Church, &c.”, in Memoirs of the Church of Scotland, in Four Periods. […], London: […] Eman[nuel] Matthews […], and T. Warner […], published 1717, →OCLC, page 223
  4. intransitiveTo consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one's dignity; to condescend, to think fit, to vouchsafe.

    He didn’t even deign to give us a nod of the head; he thought us that far beneath him.

    5 more examples

    For Edvvard vvill defeind the Tovvne, and thee, / And all thoſe friends, that deine to follovv mee.

    c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene viii], page 167, column 1

    My fathers Palace, Madam, vvill be proud / To entertaine your preſence, if youle daine / To make repoſe vvithin.

    c. 1599 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], The History of Antonio and Mellida. The First Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Mathewe Lownes, and Thomas Fisher, […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act I, signature C2, verso

    […] Samballat gaue his daughter Nicaſo to Manaſſes, the brother of Iaddus the High Prieſt, in the time of Darius the laſt Perſian Monarch. This Nehemia mentioneth, but deigneth not to name him, affirming that he chaſed him from him, of vvhich ſome deſcant vvhether it vvere by exile, or excommunication, or ſome other puniſhment.

    1613, Samuel Purchas, “[Asia.] Of the Samaritans.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimage. Or Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in All Ages and Places Discouered, from the Creation vnto this Present. […], London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, book II [Of the Hebrew Nation and Religion from the Beginning thereof to Our Time], page 130

    Them thus impolid beheld / VVith pittie Heav'ns high King, and to him call'd / Raphael, the ſociable Spirit, that deign'd / To travel vvith Tobias, and ſecur'd / His marriage vvith the ſeaventimes vvedded Maid.

    1667, John Milton, “Book V”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC, signature [Q3], verso, lines 219–223

    Fame, […] Deſcribes him bold, and fiercely fond of povver, […] Impatient of Command, and hardly daigning / To be controll'd by his Imperious Mother.

    1700 December (first performance), N[icholas] Rowe, The Ambitious Step-mother. A Tragedy. […], London: […] Peter Buck, […], published 1701, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 11

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo consider it appropriate or worthy to accept or take (something).

Opposite
disdain

More synonyms by meaning

verbdo something that one considers to be below one's dignity

Similar
condescenddescend
Broader
actmove
Also see
condescenddescendvouchsafe

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*deḱ-“to perceive; to take”
  2. Latindignāre
  3. Old Frenchdaigner
  4. Middle Englishdeinen
  5. Englishdeign

From Middle English deinen, deynen (“to consider (something) suitable to one’s dignity or worth, condescend; to appear worthy; to condescend to grant (something), permit, vouchsafe; to regard (someone) as worthy; to consecrate, dedicate (something)”), from Old French daigner, degnier, deigner, deignier (“to condescend, deign”) (modern French daigner), from Latin dignāre, the present active infinitive of dignō (“to deem fitting, suitable, or worthy; to condescend, deign”), from dignus (“fitting, suitable, worthy; worthy of”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to perceive; to take”)) + -ō (suffix forming first-conjugation verbs). cognates * Italian degnare * Occitan deinar, denhar

More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian благоволявам, снизхождавам
  • благоволявам (blagovoljavam)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • снизхождавам (snizhoždavam)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Czech uráčit se, milostivě se uvolit
  • uráčit se(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • milostivě se uvolit(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • uráčit se(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Dutch verwaardigen
  • verwaardigen(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Finnish alentua, suvaita
  • alentua(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • suvaita(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • suoda(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to give (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
French daigner, condescendre
  • daigner(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • condescendre(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Greek καταδέχομαι
  • καταδέχομαι (katadéchomai)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Hungarian kegyeskedik, méltat
  • kegyeskedik(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • méltat(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • méltóztat(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • méltóztatik(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Italian degnare
  • degnare(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Latin digno
  • digno(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Māori tapatu
  • tapatu(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Polish raczyć
  • raczyć(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Portuguese dignar-se a
  • dignar-se a(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Russian снизойти́, соблаговоли́ть
  • снизойти́ (snizojtí)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • соблаговоли́ть (soblagovolítʹ)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • соизво́лить (soizvólitʹ)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
  • удосто́ить (udostóitʹ)(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Spanish dignarse
  • dignarse(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity
Swedish nedlåta
  • nedlåta(transitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do (something), often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity; (intransitive) to consider it appropriate or worthy to do something, often when it is seen as beneath one’s dignity

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with deign

mainagaindomainSpainpaincampaignchainmaintaingaintrainobtainremaincontainrainmaineexplainlaneplainjaneplaneWayneUkrainegrainstrain
All rhymes →

Sounds the same

Dane (pane–pain merger)

Anagrams

dingedigneDiengEdginnidge
Cite this entry
APA

deign. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deign

MLA

“deign.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deign. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deign,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deign.

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