honorific

American  

[on-uh-rif-ik] / ˌɒn əˈrɪf ɪk /

adjective

1. Also honorifical. doing or conferring honor.

2. conveying honor, as a title or a grammatical form used in speaking to or about a superior, elder, etc.

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noun

1. (in certain languages, as Chinese and Japanese) a class of forms used to show respect, especially in direct address.

2. a title or term of respect.

honorific British  

/ ˌɒnəˈrɪfɪk /

adjective

1. showing or conferring honour or respect

2. 1. (of a pronoun, verb inflection, etc) indicating the speaker's respect for the addressee or his acknowledgment of inferior status

   2. ( as noun )

      a Japanese honorific

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Other Word Forms

• honorifically adverb

Etymology

Origin of honorific

First recorded in 1640–50, honorific is from the Latin word honōrificus honor-making. See honor, -i-, -fic