Adjacent Words

Decorum definitions

	Tweet

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DECO'RUM, n. [L. to become.]
1. Propriety of speech or behavior; suitableness of speech and behavior, to one's own character, and to the characters present, or to the place and occasion; seemliness; decency; opposed to rudeness, licentiousness, or levity.
To speak and behave with decorum is essential to good breeding.
2. In architecture, the suitableness of a building, and of its parts and ornaments, to its place and uses.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: propriety in manners and conduct [syn: decorum, decorousness] [ant: indecorousness, indecorum]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: Latin, from neuter of decorus Date: 1568 1. literary and dramatic propriety ; fitness 2. propriety and good taste in conduct or appearance 3. orderliness 4. plural the conventions of polite behavior

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a seemliness, propriety. b behaviour required by politeness or decency. 2 a particular requirement of this kind. 3 etiquette. Etymology: L, neut. of decorus seemly

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Decorum De*cor"um, n. [L. dec[=o]rum, fr. dec[=o]rus. See Decorous.] Propriety of manner or conduct; grace arising from suitableness of speech and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; decency of conduct; seemliness; that which is seemly or suitable. Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station. --Hallam. If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decorum, must No less beg than a kingdom. --Shak. Syn: Decorum, Dignity. Usage: Decorum, in accordance with its etymology, is that which is becoming in outward act or appearance; as, the decorum of a public assembly. Dignity springs from an inward elevation of soul producing a corresponding effect on the manners; as, dignity of personal appearance.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Decorum is behaviour that people consider to be correct, polite, and respectable. (FORMAL) I was treated with decorum and respect throughout the investigation. = politeness

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. Decency, propriety, seemliness, appropriate behavior, dignified behavior, dignity.

Moby Thesaurus

amenities, appropriateness, becomingness, bienseance, ceremoniousness, civilities, civility, comity, conformity, convenance, convention, conventional usage, conventionalism, conventionality, correctitude, correctness, courtliness, custom, decencies, decency, decorousness, delicacy, deportment, dignity, diplomatic code, elegance, elegancies, etiquette, exquisite manners, felicity, fitness, fittingness, form, formalities, formality, genteelness, gentility, good form, good manners, goodness, happiness, mannerliness, manners, meetness, modesty, mores, natural politeness, niceness, normality, normativeness, order, orderliness, point of etiquette, politeness, politesse, properness, proprieties, propriety, protocol, pudency, pudicity, punctilio, quiet good manners, respectability, righteousness, rightness, rules of conduct, seemliness, shame, social code, social conduct, social convention, social graces, social procedures, social usage, solemnity, suitability, urbanity, usage