decent

[ dee-suhnt ]

adjective

1. conforming to the recognized standard of propriety, good taste, modesty, etc., as in behavior or speech.

   Synonyms: decorous, proper, seemly

   Antonyms: unseemly

2. respectable; worthy:

   a decent family.

3. adequate; fair; passable:

   a decent wage.

4. kind; obliging; generous:

   It was very decent of him to lend me his watch.

5. suitable; appropriate:

   She did not have a decent coat for the cold winter.

   Synonyms: becoming, fit, apt

   Antonyms: inappropriate

6. of fairly attractive appearance:

   a decent face.

7. Informal. wearing enough clothing to appear in public.
8. Slang. great; wonderful.

decent

/ ˈdiːsənt /

adjective

1. polite or respectable

   a decent family

2. proper and suitable; fitting

   a decent burial

3. conforming to conventions of sexual behaviour; not indecent
4. free of oaths, blasphemy, etc

   decent language

5. good or adequate

   a decent wage

6. informal.
   kind; generous

   he was pretty decent to me

7. informal.
   sufficiently clothed to be seen by other people

   are you decent?

Derived Forms

• ˈdecently, adverb
• ˈdecentness, noun

Other Words From

• decent·ly adverb
• decent·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decent¹

First recorded in 1485–95; from Latin decent-, stem of decēns “fitting,” present participle of decēre “to be acceptable, be fitting”; akin to decus “honor” ( decorous )

Word History and Origins

Origin of decent¹

C16: from Latin decēns suitable, from decēre to be fitting

Example Sentences

If it was, the 22-year-old striker would have got a very decent mark.

From BBC

“I’m so sad, it’s a nice and decent house,” said Mr Marouf, a car dealer.

From BBC

Like so many movies these days, “Sweethearts” languishes for the want of a decent screenplay.

From New York Times

The watchdog also surveyed shoppers and said that nearly 70% of those it spoke to think loyalty pricing offers decent savings.

From BBC

"Personally I think any decent civilised society should be looking at helping people to achieve their family," he said.

From BBC

Related Words

• acceptable
• adequate
• comfortable
• competent
• fair
• good
• mediocre
• reasonable
• respectable
• satisfactory

Decent Vs. Descent

What’s the difference between decent and descent?

Decent is an adjective that means adequate or suitable, as in a decent meal, or good or respectable, as in a decent person. Descent is a noun that means the act of moving downward (descending), a downward movement, or downward movement in general.

Despite their similar spelling, the two words are pronounced differently. In decent, the emphasis is on the first part of the word, which is pronounced like dee. In descent, the emphasis is on the -scent part of the word, with the first part pronounced like dih.

So how can you remember which one gets the s? Dropping the s is the decent thing to do, but you should pick it back up for your descent.

Here’s an example of descent and dissent used correctly in a sentence.

Example: The climbers decided to make the descent while the weather was still decent.

Quiz yourself on decent vs. descent!

Should decent or descent be used in the following sentence?

The plane’s rapid _____ was caused by a faulty engine.