decorous

adjective

dec·​o·​rous ˈde-kər-əs How to pronounce decorous (audio)
 also  di-ˈkȯr-əs
: marked by propriety and good taste : correct
decorous conduct
Ever decorous, she periodically excuses herself to another room rather than allow a guest to witness her blowing her nose.Will Hermes
decorously adverb
decorousness noun

Did you know?

Decorous Got Its Start With Etiquette

One of the earliest recorded uses of decorous appears in a book titled The Rules of Civility (1673): “It is not decorous to look in the Glass, to comb, brush, or do any thing of that nature to ourselves, whilst the said person be in the Room.” This rule of thumb may be a bit outdated; like many behaviors once deemed unbecoming, public primping is unlikely to offend in modern times. Though mores shift, decorous lives on to describe timeless courtesies like polite speech, proper attire, and (ahem) covering one’s cough.

Examples of decorous in a Sentence

we were asked to be on our most decorous behavior at the formal event the oppressively decorous standards of a royal court
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still, Julie Rotblatt Amrany got the flying ponytail right and delivered a decorous portrayal that was well received. Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 30 Aug. 2025 The cost of parties, marketing, shipping, insurance, and the decorous administration of nearly five hundred sales a year only ever drifts one way. Sam Knight, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2025 The teenager, who spoke in hushed, decorous bursts, had months earlier shot rats near a friend’s camp in Manchac, dressed the carcasses (an intricate process, given the animal’s size), and frozen their haunches. Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025 Their decorous representations of the war and republic are reassuring, especially to modern eyes, in their romanticized heroism. Literary Hub, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for decorous

Word History

Etymology

Latin decorus, from decor beauty, grace; akin to Latin decēre to be fitting — more at decent

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of decorous was in 1653

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Cite this Entry

“Decorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decorous. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

decorous

adjective
dec·​o·​rous ˈdek-ə-rəs How to pronounce decorous (audio)
 also  di-ˈkōr-əs,
-ˈkȯr-
: noticeable for proper behavior and good taste : correct
decorous conduct
decorously adverb
decorousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decorous

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