Decency Meaning
/ˈdiːsənsi/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe quality of being decent; propriety.
nounThat which is proper or becoming.
Sentence Examples
That is beneath ordinary decency.
She had the decency to apologize.
He didn't have the decency to admit that he was wrong.
CEFR Practice Quiz
She showed basic ____ by helping the lost child find his parents.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
That is beneath ordinary ____.
Word Origin & History
From Latin decentia, from decens. Equivalent to decent + -cy. Compare French décence.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Immodest words admit of no defence, / For want of decency is want of sense."
— 1684, Wentworth Dillon, An Essay on Translated Verse:
"Indeed it is for the moſt part in our ſkill in manners, and in the obſervances of time and place, and of decency in general, which is only to be learned in thoſe ſchools to which Horace recommends us, that what is called Taſte by way of diſtinction, conſiſts; and which is in reality no other than a more refined judgment."
— 1757 (date written), [Edmund Burke], “Introduction. On Taste.”, in A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, 2nd edition, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1759, →OCLC, part, page 30:
"[To Joseph McCarthy:] Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"
— 1954 June, Joseph N. Welch, Army–McCarthy hearings:
"Now, what is interesting about that poem is nothing. But, what is relevant about it is that his muse is his wife, Marcela, who is 42 years younger than him. He is 75, she is 33. And I’ll say this, at least when 70-something American politicians get creepily handsy with 30-something women, they have the decency to do so with their own daughters. Have some class, Brazil! Have some class!"
— 2016, Tim Carvell [et al.], “Journalism”, in Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, season 3, episode 20, John Oliver (actor), Warner Bros. Television, via HBO:
"Those thousand decencies, that daily flow / From all her words and actions."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
She showed basic ____ by helping the lost child find his parents.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
That is beneath ordinary ____.