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Deference: meaning, definitions and examples

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deference

 

[ ˈdɛf(ə)rəns ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

showing respect

Polite respect towards someone, especially because of their age or position.

Synonyms

courtesy, respect, reverence

Examples of usage

  • He treated her with the utmost deference.
  • The students showed deference to their teacher by standing when she entered the room.
Context #2 | Noun

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.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #10,228, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.