decorus
This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 15:35. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Pronunciation
Forms
decōrus (feminine decōra, neuter decōrum, adverb decōrē); first/second-declension adjective[1]
Etymology
It is from decor “seemliness, beauty”, from the root of decet “it is fitting”, formed like ⟨honōrus⟩ from ⟨honor⟩.[2][1][3]
Earliest recorded meaning
The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of what is seemly.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]
Semantic evolution
It meant seemly, fitting, decent, as in Plautus, and in Sallust good-looking, handsome.[2] In Tacitus it meant graceful, elegant, and in Cicero honourable, glorious.[2]
In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant comely, fitting, seemly, proper.[5] British Medieval Latin used it for beautiful, neat, orderly, adorned.[6] Its neuter decōrum became a noun for propriety, and the adjective gave English decorous in the 1660s.[1][3]
Timeline
- c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the seemly.[2][4]
- 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of good looks.[2][4]
- 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the honourable.[2][4]
- 1660s – English decorous is recorded.[3]
Meanings
Adjective
Word family
- dēdecōrus
- indecōrus
- perdecōrus
- decōrum
Related words
References
- ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
- ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press