Dignity
nounA composed, self-respecting bearing, or the quality of being worthy of honour and respect.
How to spell dignity
7 letters · 3 syllables
How to pronounce dignity
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does dignity mean?
- nounA composed, self-respecting bearing, or the quality of being worthy of honour and respect.
Dignity in a sentence
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She handled the redundancy news with quiet dignity and thanked her colleagues.
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The care home was praised for treating every resident with dignity.
Where does dignity come from?
Language of origin: Latin
The word comes from the Latin dignitas, meaning 'worthiness', 'merit', or 'high rank', which was built on the adjective dignus, literally 'worthy' or 'fitting'. English took it through Old French dignete during the 1200s, when it carried strong senses of social standing and the honour attached to high office. Over time the meaning broadened from formal rank toward the inner sense of self-respect and composed bearing we recognise today. The same dignus root sits inside several familiar relatives, including 'dignify', 'deign', and 'indignant', which preserves the idea of feeling something to be unworthy. The spelling keeps the silent 'g' from its Latin parent, which is the small trap, since the word is pronounced with a clear 'dig' opening that tempts writers toward the regular sound.
How the word is built
- dign- (from dignus: worthy)
- -ity (noun suffix denoting a state or quality)
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