deference means great respect.
deference is pronounced /ˈdɛfəɹəns/.
Why “deference” is a great word
Respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, or will of another. From French déférence (16th century), from déférer ("to yield, comply"), itself from Latin dēferre ("to carry down or away"), from dē- ("down, away") + ferre ("to carry"), first attested in English c. 1640. Unlike honor, which elevates its subject, or obedience, which is compelled by authority, deference is a voluntary recession of self. It is the bowed head in a crowded room, the pause before speaking to allow an elder's word to land fully, and the hand held back from the door latch so another may pass first—the quiet carriage of oneself downward, as if judgment were a weight best borne by another.
Etymology
From French déférence. Morphologically defer + -ence.
noun
- Great respect.e.g.“The children treated their elders with deference.”
- The willingness to carry out the wishes of others.e.g.“By tidying his room, he showed deference to his mother.”
Words closest in meaning
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