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indecorus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word indecorus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (decet)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin decorus
Latin indecorus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɪn.dɛˈkoː.rʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [in.deˈkɔː.rus][1]

Forms

indecōrus (feminine indecōra, neuter indecōrum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin in- (“not”) + decōrus (“seemly”).[2][1][3] De Vaan derives decōrus from Proto-Italic *dekōs-o- (“with beauty”), built on the noun decor, itself formed to decet (“it is fitting”); he dates ⟨indecōrus⟩ from Cicero.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Cicero, who sets it against decōrus: what is done with a great spirit seems worthy and seemly, the opposite base and unseemly.[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

Cicero adds that "let them hate, as long as they fear" would seem unseemly from Aeacus or Minos, who were known to be just.[2] It is also unsightly: Livy has dancers whose movements were not ungraceful.[2] Horace calls the dust that soils generals not inglorious.[2] Glossaries explain it as foul and dishonourable.[3] Church Latin glosses it unbecoming, shameful.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of unseemly acts.[2][6][4][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of inglorious dust.[2][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of graceless movements.[2][5]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Unpleasing in appearance, ungraceful, unsightly.[2][6][1]
  2. Unbecoming, unseemly, indecorous, shameful.[2][6][7][1]
  3. Not worthy of honour, inglorious.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Indecorus.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/indecorus. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·