decent

Meaning

Adj

1. Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances.
2. Having a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness.
3. (informal) Sufficiently clothed or dressed to be seen.
4. Fair; acceptable; okay.
5. Significant; substantial.
6. Conforming to perceived standards of good taste.
7. (obsolete) Comely; shapely; well-formed.

Noun

Misspelling of descent.

Synonyms

proper

respectable

modest

appropriate

decorous

seemly

good

👍

right

sensible

satisfactory

honest

suitable

demure

becoming

nice

fitting

fair

well-behaved

graceful

passable

neat

comely

properly

respectful

honorable

worthy

adequate

smart

chaste

tasteful

decently

businesslike

righteous

acceptable

tidy

good quality

polite

pure

generous

comme il faut

rational

favorable

maidenly

pleasing

apt

in good order

clean

honourable

enough

humble

Translations

décent

decente

convenable

anständig

decente

decente

fatsoenlijk

behoorlijk

betamelijk

sittsam

κόσμιος

gentile

annehmbar

ευπρεπής

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈdiːsənt/

Etymology

Cognate with Ancient Greek: δοκέω

Cognate with Sanskrit: दशस्यति

In summary

Borrowed from Middle French décent, or its source, Latin decēns, present participle of decet (“it is fitting or suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”) (compare Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “I appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “I accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.