reverence en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈɹɛv.ɹəns/
- /ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Middle English reverence (noun) and reverencen (verb), from Old French reverence and Latin reverentia, from Latin revereor (“to stand in awe, respect, revere”), from re- + vereor, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover, heed, notice”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
Professional hunters and trackers die too, in the pursuit of dangerous animals every year. Stones and his client voice reverence for what they call “fair chase”: an ethical distinction observed in certain sporting circles in which the quarry is felt to have a sporting chance of survival.
2026 April 21, Cal Flyn, “On the trail with the hunters who believe shooting big game can save Africa’s wildlife”, in The Guardian:
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(countable, uncountable) An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
August 2, 1758, Oliver Goldsmith, A Letter from a Traveller Make twenty reverences upon receiving […] about twopence.
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(countable, uncountable) The state of being revered.
When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government is lost.
1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seditions and Troubles”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
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(countable, uncountable) A form of address for some members of the clergy.
Your Reverence
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(countable, uncountable) That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me That I am forced to lay my reverence by.
1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| reverences | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
contempt · profanity · blasphemy
Deriveds
reverent · unreverence · reverently · sir-reverence · disreverence · revere · reverencer · saving your reverence · save-reverence
Translations (90)
de Reverenz (form of address) · cmn 頭銜 /头衔 (form of address) · sa भक्ति (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pt deferência (veneration; profound awe and respect) · bg уважение (veneration; profound awe and respect) · stq Eerhaftigaid (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pt reverência (act of showing respect) · ja 崇敬 (veneration; profound awe and respect) · la reverentia (act of showing respect) · pa ਅਦਬ (veneration; profound awe and respect) · mk ревера́нс (act of showing respect) · nl respect (veneration; profound awe and respect) · es reverencia (veneration; profound awe and respect) · fi pyhyys (form of address) · cmn 崇敬 (veneration; profound awe and respect) · mk преподо́бие (form of address) · nb ærbødighet (state of being revered) · ga urraim (veneration; profound awe and respect) · bg почит (veneration; profound awe and respect) · de Hochachtung (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga oirmhinneach (form of address) · fy ferearing (veneration; profound awe and respect) · gu આદર (veneration; profound awe and respect) · fi kunnioituksen osoitus (act of showing respect) · mk почиту́вање (veneration; profound awe and respect) · sa भजन (veneration; profound awe and respect) · cmn 敬稱 /敬称 (form of address) · frr Biwunering (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pl rewerencja (veneration; profound awe and respect) · cmn 尊敬 (state of being revered) · la reverentia (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pl poważenie (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga urraim (state of being revered) · cmn 尊敬 (act of showing respect) · de Ehrerbietung (act of showing respect) · ca reverència (veneration; profound awe and respect) · sv vördnad (veneration; profound awe and respect) · non heiðsæi (veneration; profound awe and respect) · fi jumalanpelko (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga ardmheas (veneration; profound awe and respect) · es veneración (veneration; profound awe and respect) · bg преподобие (form of address) · nb akt (act of showing respect) · txb yärṣalñe (veneration; profound awe and respect) · de Verehrung (veneration; profound awe and respect) · mk по́чит (veneration; profound awe and respect) · gl reverencia (veneration; profound awe and respect) · nb ærefrykt (state of being revered) · grc ἄγος (veneration; profound awe and respect) · tl pakundangan (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga urramacht (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ur احترام (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ru благоговение (state of being revered) · de Bewunderung (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ru почита́ние (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ru реверанс (act of showing respect) · stq Fererenge (veneration; profound awe and respect) · fi ylhäisyys (form of address) · nb ærefrykt (veneration; profound awe and respect) · gu માન (veneration; profound awe and respect) · hi सत्कार (veneration; profound awe and respect) · hi आदर (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga ómós (veneration; profound awe and respect) · nb ærbødighet (veneration; profound awe and respect) · de Reverenz (act of showing respect) · nb ærbødighet (form of address) · el σεβασμιότητα (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga urramacht (state of being revered) · fy earbied (veneration; profound awe and respect) · it riverenza (veneration; profound awe and respect) · gl reverencia (form of address) · hi इज़्ज़त (veneration; profound awe and respect) · es pleitesía (veneration; profound awe and respect) · hi मान (veneration; profound awe and respect) · fi kunnioitus (veneration; profound awe and respect) · gl reverencia (act of showing respect) · fi kunnioitettavuus (state of being revered) · hi अदब (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pt reverência (veneration; profound awe and respect) · nl eerbied (veneration; profound awe and respect) · frr Foriiring (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ga oirmhidin (veneration; profound awe and respect) · eo respektego (veneration; profound awe and respect) · nl verering (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ru благогове́ние (veneration; profound awe and respect) · grc σέβας (veneration; profound awe and respect) · ru преподобие (form of address) · txb yarke (veneration; profound awe and respect) · de Ehrfurcht (veneration; profound awe and respect) · pa ਸਤਕਾਰ (veneration; profound awe and respect)