English Meaning & Definitions
Humble submission and respect shown to another person, especially an elder, authority figure, or superior.
- “He addressed the judge with deep deference, bowing his head slightly before speaking.”
- “In deference to the wishes of the family, the memorial service was kept strictly private.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “deference”.
Originating in the mid-17th century, 'deference' comes from the French word 'déférence', which derives from 'déférer' (meaning 'to defer' or 'yield'). This, in turn, traces back to the Latin 'deferre', meaning 'to bring down, hand over, or submit', composed of 'de-' (down) and 'ferre' (to carry or bear).
Think of 'deferring' your own opinion to someone else's out of respect.
Frequently Asked Questions About “deference”
1. What is the meaning of “deference” in English?
In English, deference (noun) is defined as: “Humble submission and respect shown to another person, especially an elder, authority figure, or superior.”.
2. How do you use “deference” in a sentence?
“He addressed the judge with deep deference, bowing his head slightly before speaking.”
3. What are English synonyms of “deference”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “deference”?
Originating in the mid-17th century, 'deference' comes from the French word 'déférence', which derives from 'déférer' (meaning 'to defer' or 'yield'). This, in turn, traces back to the Latin 'deferre', meaning 'to bring down, hand over, or submit', composed of 'de-' (down) and 'ferre' (to carry or bear).
🇬🇧More English Words to English
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The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.