dignify
Americanverb (used with object)
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to confer honor or dignity upon; honor; ennoble.
-
to give a high-sounding title or name to; confer unmerited distinction upon.
to dignify pedantry by calling it scholarship.
verb
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to invest with honour or dignity; ennoble
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to add distinction to
the meeting was dignified by the minister
-
to add a semblance of dignity to, esp by the use of a pretentious name or title
she dignifies every plant with its Latin name
Other Word Forms
- overdignify verb (used with object)
- quasi-dignifying adjective
Etymology
Origin of dignify
1375–1425; late Middle English dignifien < Old French dignefier < Medieval Latin dignificāre, equivalent to Latin dign ( us ) worthy + -ificāre -ify
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It was so dignified and so sensitive to Conner," she said.
From BBC
Breeds with higher wolf ancestry were more often described as "suspicious of strangers," "independent," "dignified," "alert," "loyal," "reserved," and "territorial."
From Science Daily
Had I been there, I would have asked him point blank: “Sir, do you think that’s a dignified response from the president of the United States to call a reporter a piggy?”
From Salon
However, signatories to the letter highlighted how the bill had "already undergone unprecedented scrutiny" and "offers dying people the choice of a safe, dignified end while strengthening protections for the vulnerable".
From BBC
“These are jobs that enable family caregivers to go to work. They enable a dignified quality of life,” she said.
From MarketWatch
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
