Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Appropriateness of behavior or conduct; propriety.
  • noun The conventions or requirements of polite behavior.
  • noun The appropriateness of an element of an artistic or literary work, such as style or tone, to its particular circumstance or to the composition as a whole.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Propriety of speech, behavior, or dress; formal politeness; orderliness; seemliness; decency.
  • noun In general, fitness, suitableness, or propriety of anything, with respect to occasion, purpose, or use.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun Propriety of manner or conduct; grace arising from suitableness of speech and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; decency of conduct; seemliness; that which is seemly or suitable.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun uncountable Appropriate social behavior; propriety
  • noun countable A convention of social behavior

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun propriety in manners and conduct

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin decōrum, from decōrus, becoming, handsome; see decorous.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin decōrus ("proper, decent").

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Examples

Comments

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  • In accordance with its etymology, is that

    which is becoming in outward act or appearance;

    as,the decorum of a public assembly. Dignity springs from an inward elevation of soul producing a corresponding effect on the manners; as, dignity of personal appearance.

    January 2, 2008

  • noun: propriety in manners and conduct

    "You will obey the rules of decorum for this courtroom or spend the night in a jail cell," said the judge to the prosecutor.

    October 19, 2016