Word of the Day
: September 11, 2018deportment
playWhat It Means
: the manner in which one conducts oneself : behavior
deportment in Context
The candidate chosen for the position had an exceptional resume, but it was her deportment and personality as exhibited during interviews that were the deciding factors.
"The one artisanal, teachable thing is outer conduct. You can't restructure a genome, but, as Mr. Turveydrop, in [Charles Dickens'] 'Bleak House,' insisted, you really can teach deportment." — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2018
Did You Know?
Deportment evolved from the verb deport, meaning "to behave especially in accord with a code," which in turn came to us through Middle French from Latin deportare, meaning "to carry away." (You may also know deport as a verb meaning "to send out of the country"; that sense is newer and is derived directly from Latin deportare.) Deportment can simply refer to one's demeanor, or it can refer to behavior formed by breeding or training and often conforming to conventional rules of propriety: "Are you not gratified that I am so rapidly gaining correct ideas of female propriety and sedate deportment?" wrote 17-year-old Emily Dickinson to her brother Austin.
Test Your Vocabulary with M-W Quizzes
Name That Synonym
What 5-letter noun is a synonym of deportment, meaning "a particular way of behaving," and also refers to a balanced state or a calm, confident manner?
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