Copyright © Philip M. Parker, INSEAD. Terms of Use.
Definition: Decent |
DecentAdjective1. Socially or conventionally correct; refined or virtuous; "from a decent family"; "a nice girl". 2. According with custom or propriety; "her becoming modesty"; "comely behavior"; "it is not comme il faut for a gentleman to be constantly asking for money"; "a decent burial"; "seemly behavior". 3. Conforming to conventions of sexual behavior; "speech in this circle, if not always decent, never became lewd"- George Santayana. 4. Enough to meet a purpose; "an adequate income"; "the food was adequate"; "a decent wage"; "enough food"; "food enough". 5. (informal) decently clothed; "are you decent?". 6. Observing conventional sexual mores in speech or behavior or dress; "a modest neckline in her dress"; "though one of her shoulder straps had slipped down, she was perfectly decent by current standards". Adverb1. In the right manner; "please do your job properly!" "can't you carry me decent?". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "decent" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (references) |
| Domain | Definition |
Language | Properley dressed (Mother's voice asked if I were --. "Pyjamas, " I replied. ). Source: European Union. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Synonyms: DecentSynonyms: adequate (adj), becoming (adj), comely (adj), comme il faut (adj), decorous (adj), enough (adj), nice (adj), seemly (adj), decently (adv), in good order (adv), properly (adv), right (adv), the right way (adv). (additional references) |
| Antonyms: indecent (adj), improperly (adv). (additional references) |
| Context | Synonyms within Context (source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus). |
Humility | Phrase: I am your obedient servant, I am your very humble servant; my service to you; da locum melioribus; parvum parva decent. |
Imperfection | Indifferent, middling, ordinary, mediocre; average; so-so; coucicouci, milk and water; tolerable, fair, passable; pretty well, pretty good; rather good, moderately good; good; good enough, well enough, adequate; decent; not bad, not amiss; inobjectionable, unobjectionable, admissible, bearable, only better than nothing. |
Purity | Adjective: pure, undefiled, modest, delicate, decent, decorous; virginibus puerisque; simon-pure; chaste, continent, virtuous, honest, Platonic. |
| Source: adapted from Roget's Thesaurus. | |
Crosswords: Decent |
| English words defined with "decent": adequate ♦ becoming ♦ comely, comme il faut ♦ decently, decorous, drive ♦ enough ♦ Gradely ♦ jolly ♦ labor, labour ♦ nice ♦ pretty, push ♦ respectably ♦ seemly, Seemlyhed, sincere, Sisters of Mercy ♦ tug. (references) |
| Specialty definitions using "decent": Abasement, Abridge ♦ case sensitivity ♦ Housing Act of 1949, HTTP server ♦ Linsey-woolsy Million ♦ Plunder ♦ usage. (references) |
| Etymologies containing "decent": Dogma. (references) |
| Non-English Usage: "Decent" is also a word in the following languages with English translations in parentheses. Latin (adorn, become, grace, it is fitting, it ought, proper, right, seemly, suitable), Romanian (decent, decently, decorous, decorously, modest, properly, respectable, seemly). |
| Domain | Usage | |
Screenplays | Don't you think we should wait a decent interval (Mission: Impossible II; writing credit: Bruce Geller; Ronald D. Moore) And see that he puts on some decent attire (Coming to America; writing credit: David Sheffield) Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath (It's a Wonderful Life; writing credit: Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett and Frank Capra. based on the story 'The Greatest Gift' by Philip Van Doren Stern.) That's somethin' for a man. The Good Lord never meant for a decent woman to want that (The Night of the Hunter; writing credit: James Agee; Davis Grubb) I had it all. I had a stereo that was very decent, a wardrobe that was getting very respectable (Fight Club; writing credit: Jim Uhls) | |
Lyrics | A decent melody (Stuck In A Moment; performing artist: U2) | |
Movie/TV Titles | Not Quite Decent (1929) Halfway Decent (2003) Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000) A Decent Proposal (1998) Decent & True Honest (1985) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title | ||
Books |
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Theater & Movies | |||
Music |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | It's awfully decent of you to take it that way. Credit: Library of Congress. |  | As a man he was a complete failure, but as a gull -- well he believed he might have been a pretty decent -- gull. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | Youth, to kindly old gentleman who had thought it would be only decent, don't you know ... Credit: Library of Congress. |  | Hurry up an' help me close this exhibit! : it just ain't decent!. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | In Farm Security Administration (FSA) migrant labor camp during pea harvest. Family from Oklahoma with eleven children. Father, eldest daughter and eldest son working. She: "I want to go back to where we can live happy, live decent, and grow what we eat.". Credit: Library of Congress. |  | The New York Times. Easter. The model of decent and dignified journalism / De Yongh. Credit: Library of Congress. |
 | For the Negro, intelligent guides to family planning are a profoundly important ingredient in his quest for security and a decent life. Martin Luther King, Jr. Credit: Library of Congress. | ||
Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits. | |||
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| "Rise up" by Keith Corcoran Commentary: "Clibing out of the trenches every morning is no easy task. so i sit the camera on the handrail and snap away. this one looks decent. www.k eithcorcoran.com ." | "Stainless steel sculpture 2" by raznov Commentary: "2nd in the set. A tad blurry, but looks decent when reduced. Great for a background accent or texture." |
Source: photographs selected by the editor, with permission from the photographers. | |
| Author | Quotation |
Burke | Some decent, regulated pre-eminence, some preference given to birth, is neither unnatural nor unjust nor impolitic. |
Homer | A decent boldness ever meets with friends. |
Jack Paar | I'm complicated, sentimental, lovable, honest, loyal, decent, generous, likable, and lonely. My personality is not split; it's shredded. |
May Sarton | One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being. |
MoliFre | There's nothing quite like tobacco: it's the passion of decent folk, and whoever lives without tobacco doesn't deserve to live. |
President Harry S. Truman | I got very well acquainted with Joe Stalin, and I like old Joe! He is a decent fellow. But Joe is a prisoner of the Politburo. |
Samuel Johnson | A decent provision for the poor is the true test of civilization. |
Seneca | Those who boast of their decent, brag on what they owe to others. |
William Henry Harrison | A decent and manly examination of the acts of the Government should be not only tolerated, but encouraged. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | |
| Author | Date | Quotation |
US Declaration of Independence | 1776 | When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. (reference) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Title | Author | Quote |
Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man | Joyce, James | Rody Kickham was a decent fellow but Nasty Roche was a stink |
Time Enough for Love | Robert Heinlein | If a person had time enough, he could love all of that majority who are decent and just |
Grapes of Wrath | Steinbeck, John | We got to get her buried decent. |
Gulliver's Travels | Swift, Jonathan | They were after the fashion of the kingdom, partly resembling the Persian, and partly the Chinese, and are a very grave and decent habit |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Children | Turkmenistan | Government subsidies and pensions are provided for persons with disabilities, although the pensions are inadequate to maintain a decent standard of living. (references) |
Cambodia | Less than 5 percent of primary school teachers have completed high school, and teachers' salaries were not adequate to support a decent standard of living, leading to demands for unofficial payments directly from parents, which the poorest families cannot afford. (references) | |
Civil Liberties | Jordan | In addition to applications from Iraqis during the year, the UNHCR also received applications for refugee status from Sudanese, Russians of Chechen decent, Somali, and Eritrean asylum seekers. (references) |
Economic History | Kazakhstan | U.S. firms have generally bought renovated apartments in Astana, with costs of $15,000-50,000 for a decent office/apartment layout. (references) |
Bulgaria | Many private holdings are small and can only be serviced with decent equipment or irrigated adequately if the owners band together in some form of cooperative. (references) | |
Egypt | Egyptians with whom an American will deal in business are often trilingual (English-French-Arabic), well-traveled individuals who pride themselves on ferreting out good deals at decent prices. (references) | |
Human Rights | Honduras | Prisoners with money routinely bought private cells, decent food, and permission for conjugal visits, while prisoners without money often lacked basic necessities, as well as legal assistance. (references) |
Political Economy | Slovak Republic | The per capita GDP was $3,554 during the year, and provided most of the population with a decent standard of living. (references) |
SAUDI ARABIA | Although there is no legal minimum wage, the average wage generally provides a decent standard of living for a worker and family. (references) | |
Travel | Cote D'ivoire | The infrastructure includes a reliable electrical system, a good system of paved roads throughout the country, decent telecommunications, several Internet service providers, two modern seaports, three international airports, rail links, modern real-estate developments for commercial, industrial and retail use. (references) |
Worker Rights | Syria | These wages do not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. (references) |
East Timor | UNTAET can not provide for a decent standard of living for a worker and family. (references) | |
Lexicography | Devil's Dictionary | ABRIDGE, v.t. To shorten. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for people to abridge their king, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Oliver Cromwell |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| Speaker | Phrase(s) |
Al Sharpton | The one thing I would do is make sure that household heads can make a decent living. We must deal with training and job development. Many people must have the underpinnings to be able to feed a family to keep a family together. |
David Berkowitz | I feel that God has made me a good person, a decent person. I was not always a good person, and there's a part of everyone that has a propensity to do bad. Even today, I know I could choose to do bad but I don't want to. |
Dennis Miller | For every guy from a poor neighborhood who grows up into a criminal, there are a thousand who work hard and build a decent life for themselves. |
Rush Limbaugh | We're not the ones saying that people of African decent can't be racist, or trying to defeat foes by throwing around the term at anyone whose ideas we fear. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Speaker | Term | Phrase(s) |
Harry S. Truman | 1945-1953 | Every family should have a decent home. |
Lyndon B. Johnson | 1963-1969 | Surely a nation that can go to the moon can place a decent home within the reach of its families. |
Richard Nixon | 1969-1974 | For all of our people, we will set as our goal the decent order that makes progress possible and our lives secure. |
Jimmy Carter | 1977-1981 | We are a confident people and a hardworking people, a decent and a compassionate people, and so we will remain. |
George Bush | 1989-1993 | America today is a proud, free nation, decent and civil, a place we cannot help but love. |
George W. Bush | 2001-2005 | Americans are generous and strong and decent, not because we believe in ourselves, but because we hold beliefs beyond ourselves. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| "Decent" is generally used as an adjective (general or positive) -- approximately 99.57% of the time. "Decent" is used about 1,853 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Adjective (general or positive) | 99.57% | 1,845 | 4,613 |
| Noun (proper) | 0.43% | 8 | 124,375 |
| Total | 100.00% | 1,853 | N/A |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
| The following table summarizes the usage of "decent" based on a population census conducted in the United States. Ranks and frequencies are based on all names reported and classified. |
| Name | Usage/Gender | Usage per 100 million Persons | Rank in USA |
| Decent | Last name | 170 | 44,125 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits. | |||
Expressions using "decent": a decent man ♦ a decent meal ♦ be decent ♦ parvum parva decent ♦ proud of one's decent. Additional references. | |
| Hyphenated Usage | |
Beginning with "decent": decent-looking, decent-size, decent-sized. | |
Ending with "decent": half-decent. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
decent | 36 |
ordinary decent criminal | 24 |
decent exposure | 10 |
decent free space | 7 |
decent game | 7 |
decent sheer waterfall | 4 |
decent digs gin room | 4 |
decent sheer | 4 |
3 decent taunt | 3 |
behavior civility decent rule | 3 |
decent job paying | 3 |
decent sex | 2 |
decent film | 2 |
decent man | 2 |
couple decent sex | 2 |
3 decent | 2 |
decent joke | 2 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "decent"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | |
Afrikaans | behoorlik (decently, fitting, proper, properly, suitable). (various references) | |
Albanian | si duhet (decorous, happily, Pat, right, rightly), modest (decently, demure, diffident, discreet, humble, lowly, modest, neat, quiet, unassertive, unobtrusive, unpretentious), i përshtatshëm (adapt, adequate, adjustable, appropriate, becoming, befitting, canny, comely, competent, congruous, convenient, desirable, done, due, elastic, eligible, expedient, fit, fitting, germane, handy, likely, livable, liveable, opportune, Pat, proper, propitious, qualified, rated, relevant, seemly, suitable, suited, tenable, well-becoming, well-suited), i përmbajtur (aloof, composed, continent, controlled, cool-headed, demure, discreet, even tempered, modest, passionless, restrained, sedate, self-collected, sober minded, staid, stand off, strange, temperate, unaffable, undemonstrative), i mirë (benign, canny, carriageable, desirable, fine, gentle, good, good tempered, goodly, handsome, keen, kind, kindhearted, kindly, lovely, nice, pleasant, pukka, salable, tops, virtuous), i hijshëm (becoming, charming, comely, cool, dainty, decorous, delicate, delicious, distinguished, elegant, graceful, jimp, nice, personable). (various references) | |
Arabic | كريم (benign, big hearted, cream, custard, generous, gentle, good, good hearted, good natured, gracious, high minded, honorable, honourable, kind, kindly, lavish, liberal, noble, noble-minded, obliging, open handed, precious, respectable, valuable, warm-hearted), محتشم (bashful, chaste, coy, decorous, demure, honest, modest, reserved, shy), لطيف (affable, agreeable, amiable, benign, bland, charming, civil, civilized, complaisance, complaisant, courteous, courtly, delicate, fair, fair-spoken, fine, friendly, genial, gentle, good natured, gracious, handsome, kind, kindly, light, mild, nice, pet, pleasant, polite, poppet, pretty, refreshing, smooth, soft, suave, sweet, tender, tenuous, thin, urbane), لائق (becoming, comeliness, correct, decorous, fit, proper, qualified, seemly, suitable), إحتشم (chaste, decorous). (various references) | |
Bulgarian | скромен (abstemious, chaste, conservative, decorous, demure, frugal, humble, maidenlike, maidenly, mean, modest, obscure, quakerish, quiet, retiring, shamefaced, simple, small, unambitious, unassuming, unobtrusive, unpresuming, unpretending, unpretentious), свестен (christian), благоприличен (christian, decorous, modest, proper, tasteful). (various references) | |
Chinese | 像樣 (presentable, up to par), 正派 (Decency), 合適 (fit, suitable). (various references) | |
Czech | ucházející (fair, wearable), spořádaný, slušný (becoming, civilized, clean, equitable, fair, good, polite, presentable, proper, reasonable, respectable, seemly, white), poctivý (fair, honest, honorable, honourable, righteous, Square, straight, straightforward, upright, upstanding), milý (agreeable, appealing, bonny, congenial, dear, gratifying, heartthrob, kind, lovable, love, man, nice, own, winning), laskavý (affable, amiable, benevolent, benign, benignant, caring, charitable, friendly, gentle, good, gracious, kind, kindly, neighborly, obliging, open-hearted, soft), charakterní, řádný (good, proper, regular), èestný (above board, face saving, gentlemanlike, honest, honorable, honorary, honourable, on the up and up, righteous, right-minded, straight, upstanding). (various references) | |
Dutch | welvoeglýk (fitting, proper, suitable), voegzaam (fitting, proper, suitable), keurig (fitting, gentlemanlike, jaunty, ladylike, pretty, proper, suitable), fatsoenlijk (fitting, proper, suitable), fatsoenlýk (above-board, decently, fitting, honest, proper, properly, suitable, upright), betamelijk (becoming, fitting, proper, suitable), betamelýk (appropriate, becoming, fitting, proper, seemly, suitable), behoorlýk (decently, fitting, proper, properly, suitable). (various references) | |
Esperanto | deca (fitting, proper, suitable). (various references) | |
Farsi | محجوب (Diffident, Timid, Unassertive, Unobtrusive), نجیب (Bland, Genteel, Gentle, Meek, Nice, Noble), اراسته (Brisk, Decorous, Natty, Politic, Prissy, Spruce, Sprucy). (various references) | |
Finnish | sopiva (appropriate, convenient, expedient, fit, fitted, fitting, opportune, proper, suitable, suited, timely, well-timed), siivo (condition, disorder, good-natured, order, state), siisti (clean, cleanly, neat, tidy), säädyllinen (decorous, proper, respectable), kunnollinen (good, proper, respectable), kunniallinen (honest, honourable), kelpo (excellent). (various references) | |
French | convenable (decorous). (various references) | |
German | anständig (above-board, becoming, comely, decently, decorous, decorously, fairly, handsome, handsomely, honest, modest, modestly, perennially, proper, reputable, respectable, self-respecting, sizable, sizeable, sporting, sportingly, square, upright), sittsam (demure, prudish), schicklich (becoming, comely, decorous, decorously, fitting, fittingly, proper, seemly), ehrbar (honorable, honourable, reputable, respectable), dezent (discreet, discreetly, modestly, quiet, quietly, sober). (various references) | |
Greek | κόσμιοσ (comely, decorous, neat, proper, tidy), καθώσ πρέπει (proper, respectably, seemly), καθωσπρέπει (proper), καθωσπρεπής, σεμνόσ (bashful, demure, humble, maidenly, modest, unpretending), πρέπων (due, just, proper, relevant), ευπρεπήσ (decorous, seemly), ευπρεπής (decorous, proper), τίμιοσ (above board, fair, honest), δεκαετηρίδα. (various references) | |
Hebrew | הוגן (equitable, fair, reasonable, seemly, sporting, straight, suitable, upright), הגון (chaste, honest, proper, respectable, upstanding), נאות (adequate, appropriate, beauty, becoming, comeliness, due, fit, proper, seemly, suitable). (various references) | |
Hungarian | illedelmes (comely, decorous, demure, mannered, proper, well-behaved, well-conducted), tűrhető (bearable, fair to middling, it's not bad, it's not so bad, passable, respectable, tidy), rendes (easy on the eye, easy to look at, good egg, jobholder, natty, neat, neatness, nice, normal, orderly, ordinary, ornery, regular, right, there are no flies on him, tidy, trim, usual), illő (appropriate, becoming, felicitous, fit, pertinent, respectable, right, seemly, sisterly). (various references) | |
Indonesian | sopan (genteel, gentlemanly, polite, urbane), santun (genteel, gentlemanly, polite), pantas (appropriate, becoming, befit, ethical, fit, meet, opportune, reasonable, suitable). (various references) | |
Italian | decente (chaste, decorous, descreet, discreet, fitting, proper, reasonable, seemly, suitable). (various references) | |
Japanese Kanji | 碌な (satisfactory), 気の利いた (clever, sensible, smart, tasteful), 卑しからぬ (respectable). (various references) | |
Japanese Katakana | きのきいた (clever, sensible, smart, tasteful), いやしからぬ (respectable), ろくな (satisfactory). (various references) | |
Korean | 알맞은. (various references) | |
Manx | feeudagh (discreet, grave, modest, prudent, worthy), dy resoonagh, dy doaieagh, dy cooie (duly, properly), doaieagh (civil, civil as person, engaging, even, good-humoured, likeable), cooie (applicable, apt, befit, competent, congruent, decorous, hereditary, opportune, suitable, timely). (various references) | |
Norwegian | skikkelig, sømmelig. (various references) | |
Pig Latin | ecentday.(various references) | |
Portuguese | decente (comely, decorous, demure, honest, seemly), equilibrado (canny, cattish, circumspective, even, good-tempered, levelheaded), composto (composed, composite, compost, compound, sedate, serious), com decoro, bom (fair, fine, fit, good, healthy, meritorious, nice, nice guy, o.k., ok, okay, okey, okeydokey, praiseworthy, rattling), apropriado (adequate, applicable, apposite, appropriate, becoming, competent, conforming, congruous, felicitous, fitting, good, happy, likely, opportune, proper, rightdown, seemly, suitable), aceitável (acceptable, admissible, eligible, passable, plausible, possible). (various references) | |
Romanian | destul de bun, decent (decently, decorous, decorously, modest, properly, respectable, seemly), omenesc (clear, correct, fit, human, suitable), cuviincios (becoming, decorous), curãţel (tidy, trim), cumsecade (amiable, fit, good, honest, serviceable, suitable), corespunzãtor (accordingly, adequate, answerable, commensurate, congenial, congruent, correct, correspondent, corresponding, equal, equivalent, fit, fitting, normal, reciprocal, relative, respondent, several, suitable), bun (affectionate, applicable, belongings, beneficial, benevolent, bonny, bright, canny, capital, clever, domain, eminent, fair, favorable, favourable, fine, fit, fitting, fond, fortunate, fortune, genuine, good, goods, grand, grandfather, grandparent, happy, honest, humane, kind, kindly, nice, okay, pleasurable, proper, real, right, salutary, skilful, skillful, soft-hearted, splendid, suitable, true, upright, useful, virtuous, well, wholesome), amabil (affable, agreeable, amiable, amiably, bland, considerate, courteous, endearing, fair, favorable, favourable, genial, good natured, good tempered, gracious, kind, kindly, lovable, obliging, obligingly, polite, politely, sweet-tempered), acãtãrii (beautiful, becoming). (various references) | |
Russian | скромный (demure, hamble, humble, low life, mean, modest, self-effacing, unassertive, unassuming, unobtrusive, unostentatious, unpretending, unpretentious). (various references) | |
Serbo-Croatian | pristojan (decorous, proper, respectable, seemly), ljudski (human, humanly, kind, man: to a man). (various references) | |
Spanish | conveniente (accordant, advisable, agreeable, apposite, appropriate, apt, becoming, beseeming, convenient, due, expedient, fitting, meet, proper, seemly, suitable, unisonous, useful). (various references) | |
Swedish | hygglig (easy going, fair, kind, respectable), anständig (clean, decorous, demure, proper, respectable, seemly), ärbar (honest, modest). (various references) | |
Turkish | yeterli (adequate, ample, competent, effectual, efficacious, efficient, enough, equal, fit, qualified, satisfactory, satisfying, snug, sufficient, suited, that will do, working), uygun (acceptable, accommodating, adaptable, adequate, advisable, agreeable, allowable, answerable, applicable, apposite, appropriate, apropos, apt, becoming, befitting, calculated, comely, commensurate, comparative, compatible, concordant, conformable, congenial, congruent, congruous, consistent, convenient, cool, correct, done, due, eligible, enjoyable, equal, expedient, fair, fair enough, favorable, favourable, felicitous, fine, fit, fitted, fitting, for, in place, keen, likely, lovely, made to order, matching, meet, nice, opportune, permitting, pertinent, pleasant, proper, propitious, proportional, prosperous, pursuant, relevant, ripe, seasonable, seemly, Square, suitable, suited, tailormade, up to, well, well-matched), terbiyeli (blushing, civil-spoken, decorous, mannerly, polite, proper, seasoned, well mannered, well-behaved), saygın (commanding, esteemed, honorable, honourable, important, notable, prestigious, reputable, respectable, valued), nazik (affable, attentive, brittle, civil, civilized, civil-spoken, complaisant, considerate, courteous, dainty, debonair, debonaire, delicate, distingue, Douce, eggshell, exquisite, fair, genteel, gentle, gracious, kid glove, kind, mannerly, mild, obliging, parliamentary, polished, polite, suave, sweet-natured, tender, ticklish, tickly, touchy, trickish, tricky, urbane, well disposed), iyi kâlpli (benign, benignant, bighearted, good hearted, grandfatherly, great-hearted, kind, kind hearted, kindhearted, kindly, large-hearted, warmhearted, warm-hearted), iyi (agreeable, all right, alright, b, comfortable, decently, fair, fine, good, gratifying, great, happy, just, kind, o.k., ok, okay, sound, well, well enough), hoşgörülü (broad, Clement, complaisant, forgiving, gentle, indulgent, lenient, patient, permissive, tolerant, wide open), edepli, alçakgönüllü (demiss, frugal, hat in hand, humble, low, lowly, meek, meek-spirited, modest, pudent, simple, simple minded, simple-hearted, submissive, unassuming, unpresuming, unpretending, unpretentious), adam gibi (decently). (various references) | |
Turkmen | kemally (honest, suitable). (various references) | |
Ukrainian | скромний (bashful, blushing, chaste, coy, demure, discreet, humble, lowly, maidenlike, maidenly, modest, nice, quiet, retiring, sedate, simple, spare, unobtrusive), славний (glorious, hunky-dory, nice, noble, pleasant), неабиякий (out of the way), милий (agreeable, darling, dear, nice, pretty), пристойний (becoming, decorous, plausible, presentable, proper, white), порядний (conventional, decorous, gentlemanly, well doing, white), добрячий. (various references) | |
Vietnamese | tao nhã kha khá, tề chỉnh lịch sự (decently), không nghiêm khắc, hợp với khuôn phép đứng đắn, đoan trang (comely, decently, decorous, matronal, matronlike, matronly, respectable). (various references) | |
Welsh | syber (clean, sober, tidy), gweddus (becoming, proper, seemly), gweddaidd (seemly), chwaethus (tasteful). (various references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various translation references. | ||
| Language | Period | Translations |
| Latin | 500 BCE-Modern | decora, decoram, decoraque, decoras, decori, decoris, decoros, decorum, decorus, descensu, descensum, descensus. (various references) |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references. | ||
| Language | Date | Source | Proverbs Chapter 19, Verse 10 |
| Greek (transliterated) | 250 BC | Septuagint | Ou sumferei afroni trufh kai ean oikethV arxhtai meq' ubrewV dunasteuein |
| Latin | 405 | Vulgate | Non decent stultum deliciae nec servum dominari principibus |
| Middle English | 1395 | Wyclif | Delicis semen not the fool; ne the seruaunt to lordshipen to princis. |
| Jacobean English | 1611 | King James | Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes. |
| Victorian English | 1833 | Webster | Delight is not seemly for a fool; much less for a servant to have rule over princes. |
| Basic English | 1964 | Ogden | Material comfort is not good for the foolish; much less for a servant to be put over rulers. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Language | Proverbs Chapter 19, Verse 10 |
| Cebuano | ¶ Ang dinato nga pagkinabuhi dili angay sa usa ka buang; Labing dili angay nga ang usa ka ulipon magagahum sa mga principe. |
| Croatian | Ne dolikuje bezumnomu živjeti raskošno, a još manje sluzi vlast nad knezovima. |
| Danish | Vellevned sømmer sig ikke for Tåbe, end mindre for Træl at herske over Fyrster. |
| Dutch | De weelde staat een zot niet wel; hoeveel te min een knecht te heersen over vorsten! |
| Finnish | Ei sovi tyhmälle hyvät päivät, saati sitten palvelijalle hallita ruhtinaita. |
| French | Il ne sied pas à un insensé de vivre dans les délices; Combien moins à un esclave de dominer sur des princes! |
| German | Dem Narren steht nicht wohl an, gute Tage haben, viel weniger einem Knecht, zu herrschen über Fürsten. |
| Haitian Creole | ¶ Yon moun ki san konprann pa fèt pou gen tout bagay, ni yon esklav pa fèt pou chèf sou grannèg. |
| Indonesian-Bahasa Sehari-hari | Tidaklah pantas orang bodoh hidup mewah, dan tidak pula patut hamba memerintah penguasa. |
| Indonesian-Terjemahan Lama | Bahwa lezat kemuliaan tiada berpatutan dengan orang bodoh yang kaya, demikianpun tiada patut seorang hamba memerintahkan raja. |
| Italian | Allo stolto non conviene una vita agiata, ancor meno a un servo comandare ai prìncipi. |
| Maori | ¶ E kore e tau te noho rangatira ki te whakaarokore; he makere rawa te noho ko te pononga hei rangatira mo nga rangatira. |
| Norwegian | Vellevnet høver ikke for en dåre, enda mindre høver det for en træl å herske over fyrster. |
| Portuguese | Ao tolo não convém o luxo; quanto menos ao servo dominar os príncipes! |
| Rumanian | Unui nebun nu -i wade bine sq trqiascq kn desfqtqri, cu atkt mai puyin unui rob sq stqpkneascq peste voivozi. - |
| Russian | оЕРТЙМЙЮОБ ЗМХРГХ РЩЫОПУФШ, ФЕН РБЮЕ ТБВХ ЗПУРПДУФЧП ОБД ЛОСЪШСНЙ. |
| Spanish | No conviene al necio la comodidad; cuánto menos al esclavo dominar a los gobernantes. |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "decent": decenter, decentered, decentering, decenters, decentest, decently, decentralization, decentralizations, decentralize, decentralized, decentralizes, decentralizing, decentre, decentred, decentres, decentring. (additional references) | |
Words ending with "decent": indecent. (additional references) | |
Words containing "decent": indecenter, indecentest, indecently. (additional references) | |
| |
"Decent" is suggested in spellcheckers for the following: cedent, dacent, dacet, Dasent, debent, decan, decat, deccan, deccend, deceat, deceent, deceint, decen, decend, decenny, decens, decents, decept, decert, decet, Dechen, decipt, decit, decken, decnt, deconn, decontam, decsent, decut, dedent, deent, defent, Degen, Deken, dekink, dekint, desent, dessent, devent, devenu, dicant, dicendi, dicunt, docendi, docennt, docente, drcent, ducen, ducento, eccen, seicento. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "decent" (pronounced dē"sunt) |
| 6 | d ē" s u n t | indecent. |
| 5 | -ē" s u n t | recent. |
| 4 | -s u n t | antidepressant, absent, adjacent, adolescent, complacent, complaisant, convalescent, conversant, Crescent, incandescent, depressant, dispersant, docent, effervescent, evanescent, fluorescent, incessant, innocent, iridescent, lucent, luminescent, magnificent, nascent, obsolescent, preadolescent, quiescent, reminiscent, reticent, suppressant, translucent, tumescent. |
| 3 | -u n t | agent, aggrandizement, agreement, ailment, alignment, allotment, amazement, ambient, ambivalent, amendment, amusement, ancient, announcement, annulment, antecedent, antigovernment, antioxidant, apartment, apparent, appeasement, applicant, appointment, apportionment, ardent, argent, argument, armament, arraignment, arrangement, arrant, arrogant, absorbent, abstinent, abundant, accelerant, accident, accompaniment, accomplishment, abandonment, abatement, aberrant, abhorrent, abortifacient, accountant, accouterment, achievement, acknowledgement, acknowledgment, adamant, adherent, adjournment, adjustment, adjutant, adornment, advancement, advertisement, advisement, afferent, affiant, affluent, ascendant, aspirant, assailant, assessment, assignment, assistant, assortment, astonishment, astringent, atonement, attachment, attainment, attendant, banishment, basement, battlement, belligerent, bemusement, beneficent, benevolent, bereavement, betterment, bewilderment, blandishment, blatant, bombardment, brilliant, buoyant, celebrant, claimant, clairvoyant, Clement, client, coefficient, cogent, cognizant, coherent, coincident, combatant, commandment, commencement, commitment, compartment, competent, complainant, complement, compliant, component, comportment, concealment, concomitant, concurrent, condiment, confident, confinement, confluent, consequent, consignment, consistent, consonant, constant, constituent, consultant, containment, contaminant, contentment, contestant, continent, contingent, convenient, convent, convergent, coolant, copayment, corespondent, cormorant, correspondent, Courant, covenant, crosscurrent, current, curtailment, ignorant, immanent, immigrant, imminent, impairment, impatient, impeachment, impediment, impertinent, implement, important, impotent, impoundment, impoverishment, impressment, imprisonment, improvement, imprudent, inadvertent, debarment, debasement, decadent, decedent, declarant, decongestant, defendant, deferment, defiant, deficient, defoliant, delinquent, deodorant, department, dependent, deployment, deportment, derailment, descendant, descendent, despondent, detachment, detergent, determent, determinant, deterrent, detriment, development, deviant, different, diligent, diminishment, disagreement, disappointment, disarmament, disbarment, disbursement, discernment, discordant, discouragement, disenchantment, disenfranchisement, disengagement, disestablishment, disgruntlement, disillusionment, disinfectant, disinvestment, dismantlement, dismemberment, disobedient, displacement, dissident, dissonant, distant, divalent, divergent, divestment, dominant, dormant, easement, ebullient, efferent, efficient, effluent, elegant, element, elephant, eloquent, embankment, embarrassment, embayment, embellishment, embezzlement, embodiment, emergent, emigrant, eminent, emplacement, employment, empowerment, enactment, encampment, enchantment, encirclement, encouragement, encroachment, endangerment, endearment, endorsement, endowment, enforcement, engagement, enhancement, enjoyment, enlargement, enlightenment, enlistment, enrichment, enrollment, enslavement, entanglement, entertainment, enticement, entitlement, entombment, entrant, entrapment, entrenchment, environment, equipment, equivalent, errant, escapement, escarpment, esculent, establishment, estrangement, evident, excellent, excitement, excrement, exigent, existent, exorbitant, expectant, expectorant, expedient, experiment, exponent, extant, extinguishment, extravagant, exuberant, exultant, Fabricant, fervent, figment, filament, flagrant, flamboyant, flatulent, flippant, fluent, formant, fragment, fragrant, fraudulent, frequent, fulfillment, gallant, garment, garnishment, giant, government, grandiloquent, grandparent, harassment, hesitant, hydrant, incident, incipient, incitement, inclement, incoherent, incompetent, inconsistent, incontinent, inconvenient, increment, incumbent, independent, indictment, indifferent, indigent, indignant, indolent, inducement, indulgent, inefficient, infant, informant, infotainment, infrequent, infringement, ingredient, inhabitant, inhalant, inherent, inpatient, insignificant, insistent, insolent, insolvent, installment, instant, instrument, insufficient, insurgent, integument, intelligent, intercurrent, interdependent, intermittent, internment, intersegment, intolerant, intransigent, invariant, investment, involvement, irrelevant, irreverent, irritant, itinerant, jubilant, judgement, judgment, latent, leant, lenient, lieutenant, ligament, litigant, lubricant, luxuriant, malevolent, malignant, maltreatment, management, measurement, merchant, micromanagement, migrant, militant, miscreant, misgovernment, misjudgment, mismanagement, misstatement, mistreatment, moment, monovalent, monument, mordant, movement, mutant, negligent, noncombatant, nonexistent, nongovernment, nonmanagement, nonpayment, nonresident, nonviolent, nourishment, nutrient, obedient, observant, occupant, odorant, ointment, omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, operant, opponent, opulent, ornament, orpiment, outpatient, outplacement, overconfident, overpayment, overstatement, oxidant, pageant, parchment, parent, parliament, participant, patent, patient, pavement, payment, peasant, penchant, pendant, penitent, pennant, percipient, permanent, persistent, pertinent, petulant, pheasant, pigment, piquant, placement, pleasant, pliant, poignant, pollutant, postponement, postretirement, potent, precedent, predicament, predominant, preeminent, pregnant, prejudgment, prepayment, prescient, present, presentment, prevalent, procurement, proficient, prominent, pronouncement, propellant, proponent, protestant, provident, prudent, prurient, pungent, punishment, pursuant, puzzlement, quadrant, quotient, radiant, rampant, readjustment, reagent, realignment, reappointment, reapportionment, rearmament, rearrangement, reassessment, reassignment, recalcitrant, recipient, recombinant, recruitment, recurrent, redeployment, redevelopment, redundant, reemployment, reenactment, refinement, refreshment, refrigerant, refurbishment, Regent, regiment, registrant, reimbursement, reinforcement, reinstatement, reinvestment, relevant, reliant, reluctant, remnant, repayment, repellent, repentant, replacement, replenishment, repugnant, requirement, resentment, resettlement, resident, resilient, resistant, resonant, resplendent, respondent, restatement, resultant, resurgent, retardant, retirement, retrenchment, reverent, rodent, rudiment, ruminant, sacrament, salient, seafront, sealant, sediment, segment, semipermanent, sentiment, Sequent, sergeant, serpent, servant, settlement, shipment, significant, silent, solvent, somnolent, stagnant, statement, stimulant, strident, stringent, student, subcontinent, subsequent, subservient, succulent, sufficient, supergiant, superintendent, supplement, supplicant, surfactant, talent, tangent, temperament, tenant, tenement, testament, tetravalent, tolerant, torrent, tournament, transcendent, transient, transparent, treatment, trenchant, trident, triumphant, truant, truculent, turbulent, tyrant, undercurrent, underdevelopment, underemployment, undergarment, underpayment, understatement, unemployment, unimportant, unpleasant, unrepentant, urgent, vacant, vagrant, valiant, variant, vehement, verdant, vibrant, vigilant, violent, virulent, warrant, wonderment. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "c-d-e-e-n-t" | |
-2 letters: cede, cent, cete, deet, dene, dent, need, teed, teen, tend. | |
-3 letters: cee, dee, den, end, nee, net, ted, tee, ten. | |
-4 letters: de, ed, en, et, ne. | |
| Words containing the letters "c-d-e-e-n-t" | |
+1 letter: centred, credent, descent, enacted, enticed, scented. | |
+2 letters: accented, anecdote, antecede, benedict, cantered, cemented, centered, coextend, crenated, cuneated, decadent, decanted, decanter, decedent, decenter, decently, decentre, denticle, descents, duecento, encysted, incepted, indecent, indictee, inductee, infected, injected, invected, lanceted, recanted, tendance, tendence, tendency, trenched. | |
+3 letters: anecdotes, anteceded, antecedes, ascendent, benedicts, catenated, centipede, centupled, chastened, chuntered, coenacted, coextends, commented, conceited, concerted, concreted, confected, congested, connected, consented, contemned, contended, contender, contented, contested, convected, convented, converted, countered, decadents, decanters, decedents, decenters, decentest, decentred, decentres, deception, decongest, decrement, decumbent, decurrent, defecting, defection, deficient, dehiscent, dejecting, dejection, demulcent, denticles, descanted, detecting, detection, digenetic, duecentos, enchanted, encrusted, encrypted, entranced, extincted, fecundate, indictees, inductees, inflected, inspected, intercede, neglected, nucleated, precedent, precented, prenticed, recondite, recounted, reenacted, reincited, sectioned, sentenced, stenciled, stridence, succedent, tendances, tendences, tentacled, thickened, uncreated, unelected, unexcited, unscented. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
| 1. Definition 2. Synonyms 3. Crosswords 4. Usage: Modern | 5. Usage: Commercial 6. Images: Photo Album 7. Images: Digital Art 8. Quotations: Familiar | 9. Quotations: Historic 10. Quotations: Fiction 11. Quotations: Non-fiction 12. Quotations: Spoken | 13. Quotations: Speeches 14. |
