Words / D / General

decorous

adjective/ˈdɛkərəs/

C2CEFR level
75/100Rarity: rare
FormalRegister

Characterised by dignified propriety in conduct, manners and appearance.

The mourners kept a decorous silence throughout the long ceremony.

Similar: seemly, dignified, becoming

Origin: From Latin decorus 'seemly', from decor 'grace, beauty'.

Topic: propriety in General English

Rarity runs from 0 (a word everyone knows) to 100 (almost never seen outside specialist or literary writing). Level is the word's real difficulty on the CEFR scale, from A1 to C2.

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More general words: propriety