decentness

de·cent

 (dē′sənt)

adj.

1.

a. Characterized by conformity to recognized standards of propriety or morality: a respected citizen who led a decent life; children brought up in decent homes.

b. Morally upright; moral or respectable: "the corruption that allows the unscrupulous to grow rich while decent people labor to earn an honest wage" (Amitav Ghosh).

c. Kind or obliging: very decent of them to lend you money.

d. Showing thoughtfulness or consideration: let a decent interval go by before calling.

2. Free from indelicacy or obscenity; clean: decent television programming for children.

3. Fairly good; acceptable; satisfactory: finally got a decent night's sleep; made decent wages in the new job.

4.

a. Suitable; fitting: had nothing decent to wear to the reception.

b. Informal Properly or modestly dressed: The guests are here—are you decent?

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[Latin decēns, decent-, present participle of decēre, to be fitting; see dek- in Indo-European roots.]

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de′cent·ly adv.

de′cent·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

decentness

noun

Conformity to recognized standards, as of conduct or appearance:

comeliness, correctness, decency, decorousness, decorum, properness, propriety, respectability, respectableness, seemliness.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.