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dignity
" Wherever on this planet ideals of personal freedom and dignity apply, there you will find the cultural inheritance of England."
Karel Capek

Meaning of "dignity" in the English dictionary

DICTIONARY

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD DIGNITY

From Old French dignite, from Latin dignitās merit, from dignus worthy.
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF DIGNITY

ˈdɪɡnɪtɪ


GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF DIGNITY

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Dignity is a noun.
A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

WHAT DOES DIGNITY MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Dignity

Dignity is a concept used in moral, ethical, legal, and political discussions to signify that a being has an innate right to be valued and receive ethical treatment. It is an extension of the Enlightenment-era concepts of inherent, inalienable rights. Dignity is often used in proscriptive and cautionary ways: for example in politics it is usually used to critique the treatment of oppressed and vulnerable groups and peoples, but it has also been extended to apply to cultures and sub-cultures, religious beliefs and ideals, animals used for food or research, and plants. Dignity also has descriptive meanings pertaining to human worth, although there is no exact or agreed upon definition of this worth. In general, the term has various functions and meanings depending on how the term is used and on the context. The English word "dignity" comes from Latin dignitas by way of French dignité. In ordinary usage it denotes respect and status, and it is often used to suggest that someone is not receiving a proper degree of respect, or even that they are failing to treat themselves with proper self-respect.

Definition of dignity in the English dictionary

The first definition of dignity in the dictionary is a formal, stately, or grave bearing. Other definition of dignity is the state or quality of being worthy of honour. Dignity is also relative importance; rank.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH DIGNITY

affinity · benignity · Christianity · community · equal-opportunity · eternity · humanity · immunity · indignity · infinity · insanity · malignity · maternity · opportunity · profanity · serenity · trinity · unity · vanity · vicinity

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE DIGNITY

diglyph · dignification · dignified · dignifiedly · dignifiedness · dignifies · dignify · dignitaries · dignitary · dignities · digonal · digoneutic · digoneutism · digoxin · digraph · digraphic · digraphically · digress · digresser · digression

WORDS THAT END LIKE DIGNITY

amenity · divinity · double indemnity · equal opportunity · European Community · femininity · fraternity · gated community · global community · Holy Trinity · impunity · indemnity · masculinity · modernity · obscenity · paternity · retirement community · salinity · urbanity · virginity

Synonyms and antonyms of dignity in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «DIGNITY»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «dignity» and belong to the same grammatical category.

Translation of «dignity» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR

TRANSLATION OF DIGNITY

Find out the translation of dignity to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of dignity from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «dignity» in English.
zh

Translator English - Chinese

尊严
1,325 millions of speakers
es

Translator English - Spanish

dignidad
570 millions of speakers
en

English

dignity
510 millions of speakers
hi

Translator English - Hindi

गरिमा
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

كَرَامَة
280 millions of speakers
ru

Translator English - Russian

достоинство
278 millions of speakers
pt

Translator English - Portuguese

dignidade
270 millions of speakers
bn

Translator English - Bengali

সম্মান
260 millions of speakers
fr

Translator English - French

dignité
220 millions of speakers
ms

Translator English - Malay

martabat
190 millions of speakers
de

Translator English - German

Würde
180 millions of speakers
ja

Translator English - Japanese

威厳
130 millions of speakers
ko

Translator English - Korean

존엄성
85 millions of speakers
jv

Translator English - Javanese

Kamulyan
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

thái độ đường hoàng
80 millions of speakers
ta

Translator English - Tamil

மரியாதை
75 millions of speakers
mr

Translator English - Marathi

मोठेपण
75 millions of speakers
tr

Translator English - Turkish

haysiyet
70 millions of speakers
it

Translator English - Italian

dignità
65 millions of speakers
pl

Translator English - Polish

godność
50 millions of speakers
uk

Translator English - Ukrainian

гідність
40 millions of speakers
ro

Translator English - Romanian

demnitate
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

αξιοπρέπεια
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

waardigheid
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

värdighet
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

verdighet
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of dignity

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «DIGNITY»

Principal search tendencies and common uses of dignity
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «dignity».

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about dignity

EXAMPLES

10 QUOTES WITH «DIGNITY»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word dignity.
1
Arthur Ashe
We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.
2
John Bacon
It comes down to the way you treat people. When you treat people with dignity and respect all the time, you can work through anything.
3
Mikhail Bakunin
To revolt is a natural tendency of life. Even a worm turns against the foot that crushes it. In general, the vitality and relative dignity of an animal can be measured by the intensity of its instinct to revolt.
4
P. T. Barnum
The show business has all phases and grades of dignity, from the exhibition of a monkey to the exposition of that highest art in music or the drama which secures for the gifted artists a world-wide fame princes well might envy.
5
Paul Bloom
Once we accept violence as an adaptation, it makes sense that its expression is calibrated to the environment. The same individual will behave differently if he comes of age in Detroit, Mich., versus Windsor, Ontario; in New York in the 1980s versus New York now; in a culture of honor versus a culture of dignity.
6
Harry Bridges
There will always be a place for us somewhere, somehow, as long as we see to it that working people fight for everything they have, everything they hope to get, for dignity, equality, democracy, to oppose war and to bring to the world a better life.
7
Bernhard von Bulow
For the sake of our interests, as well as of our honour and dignity, we were obliged to see that we won for our international policy the same independence that we had secured for our European policy.
8
George W. Bush
America is a Nation with a mission - and that mission comes from our most basic beliefs. We have no desire to dominate, no ambitions of empire. Our aim is a democratic peace - a peace founded upon the dignity and rights of every man and woman.
9
Karel Capek
Wherever on this planet ideals of personal freedom and dignity apply, there you will find the cultural inheritance of England.
10
Grover Cleveland
A truly American sentiment recognizes the dignity of labor and the fact that honor lies in honest toil.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «DIGNITY»

Discover the use of dignity in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to dignity and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Dignity
Surprisingly, most people have little understanding of dignity, observes Donna Hicks in this important book.
Donna Hicks, 2011
2
Dignity: Its History and Meaning
Dignity plays a central role in thinking about law and human rights, but there is sharp disagreement about its meaning.
Michael Rosen, 2012
3
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
Beyond Freedom and Dignity urges us to reexamine the ideals we have taken for granted and to consider the possibility of a radically behaviorist approach to human problems--one that has appeared to some incompatible with those ideals, but ...
Burrhus Frederic Skinner, 2002
4
Dignity in Healthcare: A Practical Approach for Nurses and ...
A comprehensive, accessible resource for nurses and midwives on the theory and practice of dignity in care for people of all ages in diverse settings.
Milika Ruth Matiti, Lesley Baillie, 2011
5
Kant on Human Dignity
Based on a comprehensive analysis of the relevant passages in Kant as well as an analysis of the famous arguments for a value of human beings in the Kant literature, the book provides a thorough interpretation of Kant’s conception of ...
Oliver Sensen, 2011
6
Dignity at Work
Dignity at Work describes workers' efforts to maintain and defend their dignity in the workplace.
Randy Hodson, 2001
7
Death with Dignity: The Case for Legalizing ...
In this book the author makes a case for legalized physician-assisted dying.
Robert Orfali, 2011
8
Discipline with Dignity: New Challenges, New Solutions
Discipline with Dignity details an affirming approach to managing the classroom that promotes respect for self and others.
Richard L. Curwin, Allen N. Mendler, Brian D. Mendler, 2008
9
Between Dignity and Despair: Jewish Life in Nazi Germany
Kaplan tells the story of Jews in Germany not from the hindsight of the Holocaust, nor by focusing on the persecutors, but from the bewildered and ambiguous perspective of Jews trying to navigate their daily lives in a world that was ...
Marion A. Kaplan, 1999
10
Euthanasia, Death with Dignity and the Law
This book focuses on the impact of euthanasia on the dignity of both the recipient and the practitioner while emphasizing the legal, professional, and ethical implications of euthanasia and its significance for the exercise of clinical ...
Hazel Biggs, 2001

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «DIGNITY»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term dignity is used in the context of the following news items.
1
The Supreme Court's Newly Invented Right To Equal Dignity And …
In the closing line of the opinion, the Court said that those seeking the right to gay marriage “ask for equal dignity in the eyes of law. «Forbes, Jul 15»
2
Garnishee orders an assault on human dignity - judge | News24
He went on to say that the ability of people to earn an income and support themselves and their families is central to the right to human dignity. «News24, Jul 15»
3
Argentine in 'death with dignity case' dies - Yahoo News
Diez's siblings filed suit in 2013 after the 2012 Patients' Right Law had been passed, seeking that he be allowed to die with dignity. A provincial ... «Yahoo News, Jul 15»
4
Podemos: 'To Defend the Greeks Is to Defend Europe's Dignity
To defend the Greeks and their government today is to defend Europe's dignity. Times change and very soon we will be the powerful,” ... «Greek Reporter, Jul 15»
5
On Marriage Equality, Clarence Thomas Is Right About Dignity. So Is …
The majority, Thomas wrote, “goes to great lengths to assert that its decision will advance the 'dignity' of same-sex couples.” But human dignity ... «Slate Magazine, Jul 15»
6
Dignity, a touchstone of our democracy | Daily Maverick
Dignity, broadly, is a concept protected in our Constitution and is regarded as tantamount to our constitutional and democratic dispensation. «Daily Maverick, Jul 15»
7
Indiana animal sanctuary gives exotic animals shelter, dignity - 13 …
One of the many reasons man has such an affinity for animals is their lives in many ways are not that much different than our own. They want to live, love and be ... «WTHR, Jul 15»
8
Jonathan Turley / The trouble with the 'dignity' of same-sex marriage …
At such a transcendent moment, it is difficult to do anything but celebrate the triumph of what Justice Anthony Kennedy called the "dignity" and ... «Press of Atlantic City, Jul 15»
9
Maine Voices: Terminal cancer patient reminds us that death with …
Maine Voices: Terminal cancer patient reminds us that death with dignity is not suicide. We should have all end-of-life options available and let ... «Press Herald, Jul 15»
10
Dignity Health Names Dr. Joel Humphrey Facility Medical Director of …
Dignity Health named Dr. Joel Humphrey the Facility Medical Director the new Dignity Health Arizona General Hospital Emergency Room ... «PR Web, Jul 15»
REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Dignity [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/dignity>. May 2024 ».
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