Etymology Map
Back to all words

Decent

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means conforming to accepted standards; fairly good

Where does the word "decent" come from? It comes from Latin decere, passing through French before entering English (1530s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
decere
Latin · ancient
"to be fitting"
the root of 'decorum'
2
Stage 2 of 3
decent
French · 1500s
"suitable"
at first it meant proper to one's rank or station; the sense 'good enough' dates from 1711
3
Stage 3 of 3
decent
English · 1530s
"fitting"
the sense 'fairly good' dates from the 1700s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Decent’s story begins in Latin: decere meant “to be fitting.” The root of 'decorum'. By 1500s, the word had taken hold in French as decent. At first it meant proper to one's rank or station; the sense 'good enough' dates from 1711. It reached English by 1530s as decent. The sense 'fairly good' dates from the 1700s. Today, decent means conforming to accepted standards; fairly good.