dignity English · revision 10512
17 Oct 2026, 03:01 by bogdan “en10k b0360: dictionary … mercury”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 1225|origins=fro digneté|origins=la dignitas|origins=ine-pro *deḱ-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA: /ˈdɪɡnɪti/^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is Middle English dignete, [[bor|fro|digneté|t=dignity, privilege, honour]] (modern French dignité),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from Latin dignitās, dignitātem, worthiness,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from dignus, worthy, fitting (related to decēre, to be proper; see [[decent]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from PIE *dek-, to take, accept.^(Etymonline) It is a doublet of [[dainty]].^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The quality of being worthy or honourable: before 1225 in the OED, probably before 1200 in the ''Ancrene Riwle'' in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ Honourable or high estate, rank, is from about 1230,^(OED 1989) and an elevated office, civil or ecclesiastical, from about 1290 (about 1300).^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) A person holding such an office is from about 1450.^(OED 1989) Gravity of countenance is from the late 14th century,^(Etymonline) and nobility or stateliness of manner from 1667, the 17th century in Hoad.^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) ''Dignitary'' is from 1672.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * before 1225 – worthiness.^(OED 1989)
+ * c. 1230 – high rank.^(OED 1989)
+ * c. 1290 – a high office.^(OED 1989)
+ * late 14th century – gravity of manner.^(Etymonline)
+ * 1667 – stateliness.^(OED 1989)
+ * 1672 – dignitary.^(Barnhart 1988)
+
+ ==Modern meaning==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The quality of being worthy of respect or honour.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # A calm, serious and self-respecting manner; stateliness.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+ # A sense of self-respect or self-importance: ''beneath his dignity''.^(Collins 2023)
+ # A high office or rank, or a person holding it.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[deign]]
+ * [[dignified]]
+ * [[dignify]]
+ * [[dignitary]]
+ * [[indignant]]
+ * [[decent]]
+ * [[dainty]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}