decent

From Middle French décent, or its source, Latin decēns, present participle of decet (“it is fitting or suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”) (compare Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “I appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “I accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdiːsənt/

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decent (comparative more decent, superlative most decent)

1. (obsolete) Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances.
2. (of a person) Having a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness.
3. (informal) Sufficiently clothed or dressed to be seen.

   Are you decent? May I come in?

4. Fair; good enough; okay.
   • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess‎:

     A canister of flour from the kitchen had been thrown at the looking-glass and lay like trampled snow over the remains of a decent blue suit with the lining ripped out which lay on top of the ruin of a plastic wardrobe.

   • 1991, Stephen Fry, The Liar, p. 35:

     And ‘blubbing’... Blubbing went out with ‘decent’ and ‘ripping’. Mind you, not a bad new language to start up. Nineteen-twenties schoolboy slang could be due for a revival.

   He's a decent saxophonist, but probably not good enough to make a career of it.

5. Significant; substantial.

   There are a decent number of references out there, if you can find them.

6. (obsolete) Comely; shapely; well-formed.
   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton

     A sable stole of cyprus lawn
     Over thy decent shoulders drawn...

• (conforming suitably to moral standards): good, moral
• (good enough): adequate, satisfactory

• (conforming suitably to moral standards): bad, immoral
• (sufficiently clothed): indecent, underdressed
• (good enough): inadequate, poor, unsatisfactory

• decency
• decently

• cedent