Decent Meaning
/ˈdiː.sənt/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjAppropriate; suitable for the circumstances.
adjHaving a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness.
Sentence Examples
Why don't you get yourself a decent house?
I'd like to live in a decent house.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He gave a ____ tip after receiving excellent restaurant service.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Why don't you get yourself a ____ house?
Word Origin & History
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, “to appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “to accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"A canister of flour from the kitchen had been thrown at the looking-glass and lay like trampled snow over the remains of a decent blue suit with the lining ripped out which lay on top of the ruin of a plastic wardrobe."
— 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
"And ‘blubbing’ . . . Blubbing went out with ‘decent’ and ‘ripping’. Mind you, not a bad new language to start up. 1920s schoolboy slang could be due for a revival."
— [1991 September, Stephen Fry, chapter 1, in The Liar, London: Heinemann, →ISBN, section II, page 24:
"I'm all for opening new stations (Transport Scotland is planning another at East Linton, about halfway between Drem and Dunbar), but they are useless without a decent service."
— 2021 June 30, Philip Haigh, “Regional trains squeezed as ECML congestion heads north”, in RAIL, number 934, page 53:
"I had a cup of tea - the last decent cup of tea for many days; and in a room that most soothingly looked just as you would expect a lady’s drawing-room to look, we had a long quiet chat by the fireside."
— 1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I, page 201:
"And ſable ſtole of Cipres Lawn,
Over thy decent ſhoulders drawn."
— a. 1645, John Milton, “Il Penseroso”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 38:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He gave a ____ tip after receiving excellent restaurant service.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Why don't you get yourself a ____ house?