Deference: meaning, definitions and examples
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deference
[ ˈdɛf(ə)rəns ]
showing respect
Polite respect towards someone, especially because of their age or position.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- He treated her with the utmost deference.
- The students showed deference to their teacher by standing when she entered the room.
submission
Submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.
Synonyms
compliance, obedience, submissiveness
Examples of usage
- He accepted the decision with deference to the higher authority.
- The team showed deference to their captain's instructions.
Translations
Translations of the word "deference" in other languages:
🇵🇹 deferência
🇮🇳 सम्मान
🇩🇪 Ehrerbietung
🇮🇩 penghormatan
🇺🇦 повага
🇵🇱 szacunek
🇯🇵 敬意
🇫🇷 déférence
🇪🇸 deferencia
🇹🇷 hürmet
🇰🇷 존경
🇸🇦 احترام
🇨🇿 úcta
🇸🇰 úcta
🇨🇳 尊敬
🇸🇮 spoštovanje
🇮🇸 virðing
🇰🇿 құрмет
🇬🇪 პატივისცემა
🇦🇿 hörmət
🇲🇽 deferencia
Word origin
The word 'deference' originated from the Latin word 'deferre', which means 'to carry down' or 'to defer'. In the English language, 'deference' first appeared in the 17th century. The concept of showing respect or submission to others has been a fundamental aspect of social interactions throughout history, and 'deference' encapsulates this idea of acknowledging someone's authority or position.
See also: deferential, deferment, deferred.