decentness


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

decentness

noun
Conformity to recognized standards, as of conduct or appearance:
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.
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