Dictionary

decency en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈdiːsənsi/ (New-Zealand)
• /ˈdiːsənsi/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈdiːsənsi/ (Australia)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdisənsi/ (Canada, General-American)

Etymology

From Latin decentia, from decens. Equivalent to decent + -cy. Compare French décence.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The quality of being decent; propriety.
   • Now, what is interesting about that poem is nothing. But, what is relevant about it is that his muse is his wife, Marcela, who is 42 years younger than him. He is 75, she is 33. And I’ll say this, at least when 70-something American politicians get creepily handsy with 30-something women, they have the decency to do so with their own daughters. Have some class, Brazil! Have some class! 2016, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Journalism”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 20, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
   • Immodest words admit of no defence, / For want of decency is want of sense. 1684, Wentworth Dillon, An Essay on Translated Verse:
   • Indeed it is for the moſt part in our ſkill in manners, and in the obſervances of time and place, and of decency in general, which is only to be learned in thoſe ſchools to which Horace recommends us, that what is called Taſte by way of diſtinction, conſiſts; and which is in reality no other than a more refined judgment. 1757 (date written), [Edmund Burke], “Introduction. On Taste.”, in A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, 2nd edition, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1759, →OCLC, part, page 30:
   • [To Joseph McCarthy:] Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency? 1954 June, Joseph N. Welch, Army–McCarthy hearings:
2. (countable, uncountable) That which is proper or becoming.
   • Those thousand decencies, that daily flow / From all her words and actions. 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
   • 'Tis in the Civil Government, as in the Offices of Religion; which, were they ſtript of all the External Decencies of Worſhip, would not make a due Impreſſion on the Minds of thoſe who aſſiſt at them. 1706 October 8 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), Francis Atterbury, “A Sermon Preach’d in the Guild-Hall Chapel, London, Sept. 28. 1706. Being the Day of the Election of the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor.”, in Fourteen Sermons Preach’d on Several Occasions. […], London: […] E. P. [Edmund Parker?] for Jonah Bowyer, […], published 1708, →OCLC, page 413:

Forms

Deriveds

common decency · indecency · undecency · closet of decency

Synonyms

rightfulness · seemliness · angelicality · angelicness · righteousness · probity · angelicity · saintliness · uprightness · integrity · uprightness · rectitude · decency · honor · propriety · godliness · integrity · saintlikeness · angelicalness · virtuousness · propriety · probity · seemlihood · rectitude · honesty

Translations (43)

gl decencia (quality of being decent) · ro cădere (quality of being decent) · ro cuviință (quality of being decent) · cmn 得體 /得体 (quality of being decent) · el αιδώς (quality of being decent) · nl fatsoen (quality of being decent) · da sømmelighed (quality of being decent) · cmn 體統 /体统 (that which is proper) · hu illendőség (quality of being decent) · ro decență (quality of being decent) · he הגינות (quality of being decent) · fr décence (quality of being decent) · uk поря́дність (quality of being decent) · fi sopivaisuus (that which is proper) · cmn 端莊 /端庄 (quality of being decent) · de Anstand (quality of being decent) · pt decência (quality of being decent) · fi soveliaisuus (quality of being decent) · cmn 正派 (that which is proper) · bg благоприличие (quality of being decent) · es decencia (quality of being decent) · cmn 正派 (quality of being decent) · cmn 規矩 /规矩 (quality of being decent) · ru прили́чие (quality of being decent) · cmn 體面 /体面 (that which is proper) · fi säädyllisyys (quality of being decent) · cmn 端莊 /端庄 (that which is proper) · cmn 體統 /体统 (quality of being decent) · pt decência (that which is proper) · ar احْتِرَام (quality of being decent) · da anstændighed (quality of being decent) · hu illemtudás (quality of being decent) · cmn 正直 (quality of being decent) · ca decència (quality of being decent) · cmn 正直 (that which is proper) · cmn 體面 /体面 (quality of being decent) · cs slušnost (quality of being decent) · ru поря́дочность (quality of being decent) · ml മാന്യത (quality of being decent) · ar كَرَامَة (quality of being decent) · cmn 得體 /得体 (that which is proper) · cmn 規矩 /规矩 (that which is proper) · sv anständighet (quality of being decent)