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?

Other Word Forms

• decently adverb
• decentness 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

It was a good place, run by decent, well-meaning people, but the average age of the folks living there was 85.

From Los Angeles Times

Everyone deserves to live in a safe and decent home, and I know this legislation will deliver that for millions of people across the country.

From BBC

There is a "decent chance" the aurora borealis will be visible across much of the UK on in the coming days, the Met Office has said.

From BBC

"It was a bit twitchy, the car, but I think we made real progress and my pace was looking pretty decent," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

From BBC

At 17-5 up, the Scots were in decent shape but Fiji came roaring out the traps after the break.

From BBC

Related Words

• correct 
• good 
• honest 
• honorable 
• modest 
• noble 
• polite 
• proper 
• prudent 
• trustworthy 

When To Use

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.