Where does “decent” come from?
Decent comes from Middle French décent, meaning respectable or appropriate in behavior or appearance.
decent (English): Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances;...
Definitions
- Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances;...
Ancestry of “decent”, step by step
decent traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle French décent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle French | décent | — |
| 2 | Latin | decēns | fitting, appropriate, worthy, decent |
| 3 | Latin | decet | it adorns; it is decent, suitable, seemly, or... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | dekēō | fit, be right |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | deḱ- | take; perceive |
via French décent
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | French | décent | decent |