From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also the process of honoring someone by exhibiting care, concern, or consideration for their needs or feelings.[1][2]
Some people may earn the respect of individuals by assisting others or by playing important social roles. In many cultures, individuals are considered to be worthy of respect until they prove otherwise. Courtesies that show respect may include simple words and phrases like «Thank you» in the West or «Namaste» in the Indian subcontinent, or simple physical signs like a slight bow, a smile, direct eye contact, or a simple handshake; however, those acts may have very different interpretations, depending on the cultural context.
Signs and other ways of showing respect[edit]
Language[edit]
Respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities and achievements.
An honorific is a word or expression (often a pronoun) that shows respect when used in addressing or referring to a person.
Typically honorifics are used for second and third persons; use for first person is less common. Some languages have anti-honorific first person forms (like «your most humble servant» or «this unworthy person») whose effect is to enhance the relative honor accorded a second or third person.
For instance, it is disrespectful not to use polite language and honorifics when speaking in Japanese with someone having a higher social status. The Japanese honorific «san» can be used when English is spoken.[3]
In China, it is considered rude to call someone by their first name unless the person is known for a long period of time. In work-related situations, people address each other by their title. At home, people often refer to each other by nicknames or terms of kinship.[4] In Chinese culture, individuals often address their friends as juniors and seniors even if they are just a few months younger or older. When the Chinese ask for someone’s age, they often do so to know how to address the person.[4]
Physical gestures[edit]
A wife touching the feet of her husband
In Islamic cultures around the world, there are many ways to show respect to people. For example, it is recommended to kiss the hands of parents, grandparents and teachers. Also, it is narrated in the sayings of Muhammad that if a person looks at the faces of parents and teachers with a smile, he or she will definitely be rewarded by Allah with success and happiness.[citation needed]
In India, it is customary that, out of respect, when a person’s foot accidentally touches a book or any written material (considered to be a manifestations of Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge) or another person’s leg, it will be followed by an apology in the form of a single hand gesture (Pranāma) with the right hand, where the offending person first touches the object with the finger tips and then the forehead and/or chest. This also counts for money, which is considered to be a manifestation of the goddess of wealth Lakshmi.[5] Pranāma, or the touching of feet in Indian culture is a sign of respect. For instance, when a child is greeting his or her grandparent, they typically will touch their hands to their grandparents’ feet. In Indian culture, it is believed that the feet are a source of power and love.[6]
In many African/West Indian descent communities and some non-African/West Indian descent communities, respect can be signified by the touching of fists.[citation needed]
Many gestures or physical acts that are common in the West can be considered disrespectful in Japan. For instance, one should not point directly at someone.[7] When greeting someone or thanking them, it may be insulting if the person of lower status does not bow lower than the person with higher status. The duration and level of the bow depends on many factors such as age and status.[8] Some signs of physical respect apply to women only. If a woman does not wear cosmetics or a brassiere, it is possible that she will be considered unprofessional or others may think she does not care about the situation.
Respect as a virtue[edit]
Respect for others is a variety of virtue or character strength. The philosopher Immanuel Kant made the virtue of respect the core of his Categorical Imperative:
- So act that you treat humanity… always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.[9]
China[edit]
Chinese culture[edit]
Unlike Japanese culture, it is not necessary in Chinese culture to bow to one another as a greeting or parting gesture. Bowing is generally reserved as a sign of respect for elders and ancestors. When bowing, they place the fist of the right hand in the palm of their left at stomach level. The deeper the bow, the more respect they are showing.
In Chinese culture, there is not much participation in physical contact, especially when doing business because this can be seen as too casual, thus disrespectful. It is considered rude to slap, pat, or put one’s arm around the shoulders of another.[10] However, affection in same-sex friendships in East Asia is much more pronounced than in the West. Same-sex friends will often be seen with their arms around one another, holding hands, and other signs of physical affection.[11]
It is uncommon to see very many hand gestures being used in Chinese culture because this is often considered to be excessive.[4] The Chinese sometimes do not smile or exchange greetings with strangers. Smiling or being friendly to someone you do not know can be considered rude and too familiar. It is also common to see Chinese women covering their mouths when they laugh. Traditionally, a woman who laughed too loudly was considered to be uncouth and ill-bred.[4]
Traditionally, there was not much hand-shaking in Chinese culture. However, this gesture is now widely practiced among men, especially when greeting Westerners or other foreigners. Many Westerners may find Chinese handshakes to be too long or too weak, but this is because a weaker handshake is a gesture of humility and respect.[4]
Kowtowing, or kneeling and bowing so deeply that one’s forehead is touching the floor, is practiced during worship at temples. Kowtowing is a powerful gesture reserved mainly for honoring the dead or offering deep respect at a temple.[4]
Many codes of behavior revolve around young people showing respect to older people. Filial piety is a major example of a virtue of having respect for their ancestors, family and elders. Like in many cultures, younger Chinese individuals are expected to defer to older people, let them speak first, sit down after them and not contradict them. Sometimes when an older person enters a room, everyone stands. People are often introduced from oldest to youngest. Often, younger people will go out of their way to open doors for their elders and not cross their legs in front of them. The older you are the more respect you are expected to be treated with.[4]
Respect as a cultural value[edit]
Indigenous American culture[edit]
In many indigenous American societies, respect serves as an important concept valued in indigenous American culture. In addition to esteem or deference, respect is viewed as a moral value that teaches indigenous individuals about their culture. This moral value is treated as a process that influences participation in the community and also helps individuals develop and become integrated into their culture’s community. The value of respect is taught during childhood because the process of indigenous children participating in and learning about their community is an important aspect of the culture.[12]
Respect as a form of behavior and participation is especially important in childhood as it serves as a basis of how children must conduct themselves in their community. Children engage in mature activities such as cooking for the family, cleaning and sweeping the house, caring for infant peers, and crop work. Indigenous children learn to view their participation in these activities as a representation of respect. Through this manner of participation in activities of respect, children not only learn about culture but also practice it as well.[13][need quotation to verify]
See also[edit]
- Dignity
- Etiquette
- Category: Social graces
- Etiquette in Asia
References[edit]
- ^ «Definition of RESPECT». Merriam Webster. Retrieved December 13, 2017.
- ^ «Definition of «respect»«. Cambridge Dictionary. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
- ^ «Top Experiences in Tokyo — Fodor’s Travel». www.fodors.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Protocol Professionals, Inc. | Chinese Etiquette & Protocol
- ^ DeBruyn, Pippa; Bain, Keith; Venkatraman, Niloufer (2010). Frommer’s India. pp. 76.
- ^ Chatterjee, Gautam (2001). Sacred Hindu Symbols. pp. 47-48.
- ^ «Lodging Options — Experience Tokyo». 31 October 2007. Archived from the original on 31 October 2007. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ «Cultural Variations In Body Language». westsidetoastmasters.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ Immanuel Kant, Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785)
- ^ «China — Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette». www.commisceo-global.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
- ^ Kline, Susan L.; Horton, Brian; Zhang, Shuangyue (2008). «Communicating love: Comparisons between American and East Asian university students». International Journal of Intercultural Relations. 32 (3): 200–214. doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2008.01.006.
- ^ Fernandez, David-Lorente (2012). «Ser respetuoso es ser persona. El niño y la pedagogía moral de Los Nahuas del Centro de México». Revista de Dialectología y Tradiciones Populares. 67 (2): 431–452. doi:10.3989/rdtp.2012.16.
- ^ «Official Guide to Government Information and Services — USAGov». usa.gov. Retrieved 22 October 2017.
Further reading[edit]
- Bloch, D. (1993). Positive self-talk for children, Teaching self-esteem through affirmations, A guide for parents, teachers, and counselors. New York: Bantam Books
- Braman, O. R. (1997.) The oppositional child. Indiana: Kidsrights.
- Brown, Asa D. (2012). Respect. Retrieved February 16, 2012.
- Bueno, L. (2012). Teaching children about respect. Retrieved February 14, 2012.
- Eriwn, E., Soodak, L. (2012). Respecting differences: Everyday ways to teach children about respect Archived 2019-04-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved February
- Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). «Respect». Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
External links[edit]
Wikiquote has quotations related to Respect.
Look up respect in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
- Essay on Respect
- Respect Research Group: Multidisciplinary research project on interpersonal respect, with additional quotes, gallery, literature
- Respect Scoreboard
- On Respect and Religion[dead link]
- What Does ‘Respect’ Mean?
- Top Definitions
- Synonyms
- Quiz
- Related Content
- Examples
- British
- Idioms And Phrases
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
noun
a particular, detail, or point (usually preceded by in): to differ in some respect.
relation or reference: inquiries with respect to a route.
esteem for or a sense of the worth or excellence of a person, a personal quality or ability, or something considered as a manifestation of a personal quality or ability: I have great respect for her judgment.
deference to a right, privilege, privileged position, or someone or something considered to have certain rights or privileges; proper acceptance or courtesy; acknowledgment: respect for a suspect’s right to counsel; to show respect for the flag; respect for the elderly.
the condition of being esteemed or honored: to be held in respect.
respects, a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship: Give my respects to your parents.
favor or partiality.
Archaic. a consideration.
verb (used with object)
to hold in esteem or honor: I cannot respect a cheat.
to show regard or consideration for: to respect someone’s rights.
to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with: to respect a person’s privacy.
to relate or have reference to.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?
Which sentence is correct?
Idioms about respect
in respect of, in reference to; in regard to; concerning.
in respect that, Archaic. because of; since.
- to visit in order to welcome, greet, etc.: We paid our respects to the new neighbors.
- to express one’s sympathy, especially to survivors following a death: We paid our respects to the family.
pay one’s respects,
with respect to, referring to; concerning: with respect to your latest request.
Origin of respect
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English noun from Old French or directly from Latin respectus “action of looking back, consideration, regard,” equivalent to respec-, variant stem of respicere “to look back” (re- “back” + specere “to look”) + -tus suffix of verbal action; verb from Latin respectus, past participle of respicere; see re-
synonym study for respect
3. Respect, esteem, veneration imply recognition of personal qualities by approbation, deference, and more or less affection. Respect is commonly the result of admiration and approbation, together with deference: to feel respect for a great scholar. Esteem is deference combined with admiration and often with affection: to hold a friend in great esteem. Veneration is an almost religious attitude of deep respect, reverence, and love, such as we feel for persons or things of outstanding superiority, endeared by long association: veneration for one’s grandparents, for noble traditions.
historical usage of respect
In Middle English, the more common meanings of the noun respect ( respect, respecte ) are “relation, relationship, regard, consideration” (still current meanings), present in Old French respect and Latin respectus, literally, “the act of looking back.”
The meaning “esteem for a person, thing, or quality” first appeared in 1526; the corresponding verb meaning “to hold in esteem” is first recorded in 1583. The prepositional phrase with respect to “referring to; concerning” dates to the mid-16th century. The plural noun respects “a formal expression or gesture of greeting, esteem, or friendship” dates to the first half of the 17th century; the phrase to pay one’s respects “to make a visit in order to welcome, greet, etc., or to express one’s sympathy, especially after a death” dates to the middle of the 17th century.
OTHER WORDS FROM respect
qua·si-re·spect·ed, adjectiveun·der·re·spect·ed, adjectiveun·re·spect·ed, adjectivewell-re·spect·ed, adjective
Words nearby respect
resource, resourceful, resources, resp., respawn, respect, respectability, respectability politics, respectable, respectant, respecter
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to respect
appreciation, awe, consideration, deference, dignity, esteem, fear, honor, recognition, regard, reverence, tribute, reference, relation, adhere to, appreciate, comply with, heed, recognize, revere
How to use respect in a sentence
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PBCs have an affirmative duty to be good corporate citizens and to treat all stakeholders with respect.
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He is known to lower his eyes in Putin’s presence, out of respect.
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Anthony Mallott said his father continued to express respect for Potts up until his death.
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In many respects, this new bill seems to seek not to combat fake news but, rather, to control users.
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So in that respect, what the aforementioned companies are doing is nothing new.
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If anything the work the two cops and the maintenance guy were doing deserves more respect and probably helped a lot more people.
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With all due respect to his athletic skill, Gronkowski is not high on the list of NFL players that elicit carnal thoughts.
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Yazbek tells The Daily Beast that the traffickers guarantee their service, and they treat the Syrian refugees with respect.
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They stood in a single row, united by solemn respect as the Liu family remained inside.
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You expect soldiers of all ranks to understand the need to respect the chain of command, regardless of personal feelings.
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It is, however, true, that in this respect the German hexametrist has a considerable advantage over the English.
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Very charmingly is this respect for rule exhibited in all dealings with animals, also dolls and other pets.
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Great had been her indignation at the want of respect shown to the Reverend John Dodd’s cloth.
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The house was but a single story high, but in this respect the king’s palace itself was no better.
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The French Railroads are better in this respect, and the American cannot be worse, though the fault is not unknown there.
British Dictionary definitions for respect
noun
an attitude of deference, admiration, or esteem; regard
the state of being honoured or esteemed
a detail, point, or characteristic; particularhe differs in some respects from his son
reference or relation (esp in the phrases in respect of, with respect to)
polite or kind regard; considerationrespect for people’s feelings
(often plural) an expression of esteem or regard (esp in the phrase pay one’s respects)
verb (tr)
to have an attitude of esteem towards; show or have respect forto respect one’s elders
to pay proper attention to; not violateto respect Swiss neutrality
to show consideration for; treat courteously or kindly
archaic to concern or refer to
Word Origin for respect
C14: from Latin rēspicere to look back, pay attention to, from re- + specere to look
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with respect
see in regard (respect) to; pay a call (one’s respects); with all due respect.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Middle English respect, from Old French respect, also respit (“respect, regard, consideration”), from Latin respectus (“a looking at, regard, respect”), perfect passive participle of respiciō (“look at, look back upon, respect”), from re- (“back”) + speciō (“to see”). Doublet of respite.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ɹɪˈspɛkt/
- Rhymes: -ɛkt
- Hyphenation: re‧spect
Noun[edit]
respect (countable and uncountable, plural respects)
- (uncountable) an attitude of consideration or high regard
- Synonyms: deference, esteem, consideration, regard, fealty, reverence, aught
-
He is an intellectual giant, and I have great respect for him.
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We do respect people for their dignity and worth.
-
2022 October 15, “Tajik President’s Demand For ‘Respect’ From Putin Viewed Millions Of Times On YouTube”, in Radio Free Europe[1], archived from the original on 17 October 2022[2]:
-
A video of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon complaining to Russian President Vladimir Putin about his lack of respect for the countries of Central Asia that were once part of the Soviet Union has struck a nerve on social media, where it has been viewed millions of times. […]
“We have always respected the interests of our main strategic partner,” Rahmon said, referring to Russia. “We want respect, too.»
-
- (uncountable) good opinion, honor, or admiration
- Synonyms: admiration, esteem, reverence, regard, recognition, veneration, honor
- (uncountable, always plural) Polite greetings, often offered as condolences after a death.
-
The mourners paid their last respects to the deceased poet.
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- (countable) a particular aspect, feature or detail of something
-
This year’s model is superior to last year’s in several respects.
- Synonyms: aspect, dimension, face, facet, side
-
- Good will; favor
Usage notes[edit]
- Adjectives often applied to «respect»: great, high, utmost, absolute
Antonyms[edit]
- belittlement
- contempt
- contumely
- despect (noun) (archaic)
- disdain
- disparagement
- disrespect (noun)
- ignoring
- irreverence
- neglect
- scorn
- slight
Derived terms[edit]
- ablative of respect
- adverb of respect
- disrespect
- final respects
- in many respects
- last respects
- respectable
- respectful
- unrespect
- with all due respect
- with due respect
- with respect
- with respect to
[edit]
- respective
Translations[edit]
admiration for a person or entity because of perceived merit
- Albanian: respekt (sq) m
- Amharic: ክብር (kəbr)
- Arabic: اِحْتِرَام (ar) m (iḥtirām)
- Egyptian Arabic: احترام m (ʾeḥtrām)
- Gulf Arabic: احترام m (iḥtirām)
- Armenian: հարգանք (hy) (hargankʿ)
- Avar: хӏурмат (ḥʳurmat)
- Azerbaijani: hörmət (az), sayğı (az), ehtiram, xətir
- Bashkir: хөрмәт (xörmät), ихтирам (ixtiram)
- Belarusian: пава́га f (paváha), паважа́нне n (pavažánnje), паша́на f (pašána)
- Bengali: সম্মান (śomman)
- Breton: doujañs (br) f
- Bulgarian: уваже́ние (bg) n (uvažénie)
- Burmese: ရိုသေ (my) (ruise), အရိုအသေ (my) (a.ruia.se)
- Catalan: respecte (ca) m
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 尊重 (zh) (zūnzhòng), 尊敬 (zh) (zūnjìng)
- Czech: respekt (cs) m, úcta (cs) f
- Danish: respekt c
- Dutch: respect (nl) m, achting (nl) f, eerbied (nl) f
- Egyptian: (šfyt f)
- Esperanto: respekto, respektemo, altestimo
- Estonian: lugupidamine
- Finnish: kunnioitus (fi)
- French: respect (fr) m
- Friulian: rispiet m
- Galician: respecto m
- Georgian: პატივისცემა (ṗaṭiviscema)
- German: Achtung (de) f, Respekt (de) m
- Greek: σεβασμός (el) m (sevasmós)
- Ancient: σέβας n (sébas)
- Hebrew: כָּבוֹד (he) m (kavód)
- Hindi: सम्मान (hi) m (sammān), आदर (hi) m (ādar)
- Hungarian: tisztelet (hu), elismerés (hu), megbecsülés (hu)
- Icelandic: virðing (is) f
- Indonesian: hormat (id)
- Irish: meas m, urraim f, oirmhidin f, ómós m
- Italian: rispetto (it) m
- Japanese: 尊敬 (ja) (sonkei), 崇敬 (ja) (sūkei), 尊重 (ja) (sonchō), 重視 (ja) (jushi)
- Kazakh: құрмет (kk) (qūrmet), қадір (qadır), сый (syi)
- Khmer: ការគោរព (kaa-koorup), គារវៈ (km) (kiərĕəʼvĕəʼ)
- Korean: 존중(尊重) (ko) (jonjung), 경의(敬意) (ko) (gyeong’ui)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ڕێز (ckb) (rêz)
- Kyrgyz: кадыр (ky) (kadır), кадырдоо (ky) (kadırdoo), сый (ky) (sıy)
- Ladin: respet ?
- Latgalian: cīns ?
- Latin: respectus m, observantia f, reverentia f
- Latvian: cieņa f
- Lithuanian: pagarba f
- Macedonian: почит f (počit), респект m (respekt)
- Malay: hormat (ms), adab (ms)
- Maltese: rispett m
- Maori: kauanuanu, whakaute
- Marathi: आदर (mr) (ādar)
- Mongolian: хүндэтгэл (mn) (xündetgel)
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: respekt (no) m
- Nynorsk: respekt m
- Occitan: respècte (oc) m
- Old Javanese: sĕmbah
- Pashto: احترام (ps) m (ehterãm)
- Persian: احترام (fa) (ehterâm), ادب (fa) (adab)
- Plautdietsch: Acht (nds) f
- Polish: respekt (pl) m, szacunek (pl) m, estyma (pl) f, poważanie (pl), uważanie (pl), atencja (pl) f (dated), atentacja f (archaic)
- Portuguese: respeito (pt) m
- Romanian: respect (ro) n
- Russian: уваже́ние (ru) n (uvažénije), почте́ние (ru) n (počténije)
- Samoan: āva
- Sanskrit: आदर (sa) m (ādara), सम्मान (sa) m (sammāna)
- Scottish Gaelic: onair f, urram m, suim f
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: поштова́ње n
- Roman: poštovánje (sh) n
- Sicilian: rispettu (scn) m
- Slovak: rešpekt m, úcta f
- Slovene: spoštovanje (sl) n
- Spanish: respeto (es) m
- Swahili: adabu (sw)
- Swedish: respekt (sv) c, aktning (sv) c
- Tabasaran: гьюрмат (hjurmat)
- Tagalog: paggalang
- Tajik: эҳтиром (ehtirom), ҳурмат (hurmat), иззат (tg) (izzat), адаб (tg) (adab)
- Tamil: மதிப்பு (ta) (matippu)
- Tatar: хөрмәт (tt) (xörmät), ихтирам (tt) (ixtiram)
- Telugu: గౌరవం (te) (gauravaṁ)
- Tetum: respeitu
- Thai: ความเคารพ (th) (kwaam-kao-róp)
- Tongan: fakaʻapaʻapa
- Turkish: saygı (tr), hürmet (tr)
- Turkmen: hormat
- Ukrainian: пова́га f (pováha), поважа́ння n (považánnja), поша́на f (pošána)
- Urdu: آدر m (ādar), احترام m (ihtirām)
- Uyghur: ھۆرمەت (hörmet), ئىززەت (izzet)
- Uzbek: hurmat (uz), izzat (uz), ehtirom (uz)
- Vietnamese: sự tôn trọng (vi)
- Welsh: parch (cy) m
- Zazaki: hurmet n, adab n, semen n
polite greetings
- Czech: vyjádření úcty n
- Finnish: kunnioitus (fi)
- Greek: σέβη m (sévi)
- Hungarian: kegyelet (hu), tisztelet (hu)
- Icelandic: virðing (is) f
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ڕێزوسڵاو (rêzusllaw)
- Portuguese: respeito (pt) m, reverência (pt) f
- Spanish: respeto (es) m
- Swahili: adabu (sw)
particular aspect of something
- Azerbaijani: xüsus, baxım
- Bulgarian: отношение (bg) n (otnošenie)
- Czech: ohled (cs) m
- Danish: henseende n
- Finnish: suhde (fi)
- Hungarian: vonatkozás (hu), szempont (hu), tekintet (hu)
- Icelandic: leyti (is) n
- Italian: riguardo (it) m, materia (it) f
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: måte (no) m, aspekt (no) n, henseende ?
- Portuguese: respeito (pt) m
- Spanish: respeto (es) m
- Swedish: avseende (sv) n, hänseende (sv) n
- Thai: เคารพ (th) (kao-róp)
- Turkish: bakım (tr), husus (tr), açı (tr), yön (tr)
- Zazaki: xusus c
Verb[edit]
respect (third-person singular simple present respects, present participle respecting, simple past and past participle respected)
- To have respect for.
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She is an intellectual giant, and I respect her greatly.
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- To have regard for something, to observe a custom, practice, rule or right.
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I respect your right to hold that belief, although I think it is nonsense.
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I respect your right to feel offended, even though most people, myself included, totally disagree and don’t find the comment offensive in the slightest.
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- To abide by an agreement.
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They failed to respect the treaty they had signed, and invaded.
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- To take notice of; to regard as worthy of special consideration; to heed.
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1631, Francis [Bacon], “New Atlantis. A Worke Vnfinished.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], page 33, →OCLC:
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We haue also large and various Orchards, and Gardens; Wherein we doe not ſo much reſpect Beauty, as Variety of Ground and Soile, proper for diuerſe Trees and Herbs: […]
-
-
- (transitive, dated except in «respecting») To relate to; to be concerned with.
- 1674, John Owen, Pneumatologia:
- Whatever they are else, they are always chastisements; and correction respects faults.
- 1806, James Lee, An Introduction to Botany:
- Glandulation respects the secretory vessels, which are either glandules, follicles, or utricles.
-
1859 December 13, Charles Dickens, “The Mortals in the House”, in Charles Dickens, editor, The Haunted House. The Extra Christmas Number of All the Year Round […], volume II, London: […] C. Whiting, […], →OCLC, page 4, column 2:
-
I hope I may never again be in a state of mind so unchristian as the mental frame in which I lived for some weeks, respecting the memory of Master B.
-
- 1674, John Owen, Pneumatologia:
- (obsolete) To regard; to consider; to deem.
-
c. 1597, Ben. Jonson, A Pleasant Comedy, Called: The Case is Alterd. […], London: […] [Nicholas Okes] for Bartholomew Sutton, and William Barrenger, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
-
[T]his my friend (knowen by no name) was found, / Being then a child and ſcarce of power to ſpeake, / To whom my father gaue this name of Gaſper, / And as his own reſpected him to death, […]
-
-
- (obsolete) To look toward; to face.
-
1650, Thomas Browne, “Of East and West”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC, 6th book, page 263:
-
That Palladius adviſeth the front of his edifice ſhould ſo reſpect the South, that in the firſt angle it receive the riſing raies of the winter Sunne, and decline a little from the winter ſetting thereof.
-
-
Synonyms[edit]
- (to have respect for): esteem, honor, revere, venerate
- (to regard as worthy of special consideration): esteem, value
- (to abide by an agreement): honor
Antonyms[edit]
- (to have respect for): contemn, despect (verb) (archaic), despise, dis, diss, disrespect (verb)
- (to regard as worthy of special consideration): belittle, ignore, neglect, slight
Derived terms[edit]
- disrespect
- respectability
- respectable
- respected
- respectful
Translations[edit]
to have respect for
- Albanian: respektoj (sq)
- Arabic: اِحْتَرَمَ (iḥtarama)
- Egyptian Arabic: احترم (eḥtaram)
- Armenian: հարգել (hy) (hargel)
- Azerbaijani: hörmət qoymaq, hörmət etmək (az), saymaq (az)
- Belarusian: паважа́ць impf (pavažácʹ), шанава́ць impf (šanavácʹ)
- Breton: doujañ (br)
- Bulgarian: уважа́вам (bg) impf (uvažávam), уважа́ pf (uvažá)
- Catalan: respectar (ca)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 尊重 (zh) (zūnzhòng), 尊敬 (zh) (zūnjìng)
- Czech: respektovat (cs) impf, mít úctu impf
- Dutch: respecteren (nl)
- Egyptian: (šfj)
- Esperanto: respekti, altestimi
- Finnish: kunnioittaa (fi)
- French: respecter (fr)
- Georgian: პატივისცემა (ṗaṭiviscema)
- German: respektieren (de)
- Greek: σέβομαι (el) (sévomai)
- Guaraní: momba’eguasu
- Hebrew: כיבד כִּבֵּד (he) (kibéd)
- Hungarian: tisztel (hu), respektál
- Icelandic: virða (is), bera virðingu fyrir
- Irish: meas a bheith agat ar
- Italian: rispettare (it)
- Japanese: 崇める (ja) (agameru), 敬う (ja) (uyamau), 尊敬する (sonkei suru), 崇敬する (sūkei suru), 尊ぶ (ja) (tōtobu), 重んずる (omonzuru)
- Kazakh: құрметтеу (kk) (qūrmetteu), қадірлеу (qadırleu), ардақтау (ardaqtau)
- Khmer: គោរព (km) (koorup)
- Korean: 존경하다 (ko) (jon’gyeonghada)
- Kurdish:
- Central Kurdish: ڕێز گرتن (rêz girtin)
- Lao: ເຄົາລົບ (khao lop)
- Latin: respicio, revereor, honōrō
- Macedonian: почитува impf (počituva), респекти́ра impf or pf (respektíra)
- Maori: whakamiha, whakaute, ngākau whakaute
- Mongolian: хүндлэх (mn) (xündlex)
- Ngazidja Comorian: uhishimu
- Persian: احترام گذاشتن (fa) (ehterâm gozâštan)
- Polish: szanować (pl) impf, poważać (pl) impf, respektować (pl) impf
- Portuguese: respeitar (pt)
- Romanian: respecta (ro)
- Russian: уважа́ть (ru) impf (uvažátʹ), почита́ть (ru) impf (počitátʹ)
- Sanskrit: मानति (sa) (mānati)
- Serbo-Croatian:
- Cyrillic: уважа́вати impf
- Roman: uvažávati (sh) impf
- Slovak: rešpektovať impf, mať úctu impf
- Slovene: spoštovati (sl) impf
- Spanish: respetar (es)
- Swahili: heshimu, taadhima (sw)
- Swedish: ha respekt för
- Tajik: эҳтиром кардан (ehtirom kardan)
- Tamil: மதி (ta) (mati)
- Telugu: గౌరవించు (te) (gauraviñcu)
- Thai: เคารพ (th) (kao-róp)
- Turkish: saymak (tr), saygı duymak (tr)
- Ukrainian: поважа́ти impf (považáty), шанува́ти impf (šanuváty)
- Vietnamese: tôn trọng (vi)
- Walloon: respecter (wa)
- Zazaki: itibar kerden
to have regard for the rights of others
- Armenian: հարգել (hy) (hargel)
- Azerbaijani: hörmət qoymaq, əməl etmək, icra etmək
- Bulgarian: зачитам (bg) (začitam)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 遵守 (zh) (zūnshǒu)
- Czech: brát ohled
- Finnish: kunnioittaa (fi)
- German: respektieren (de)
- Greek: σέβομαι (el) (sévomai)
- Hungarian: elismer (hu), tiszteletben tart
- Icelandic: virða (is)
- Japanese: 重んじる (ja) (omonjiru), 尊重する (sonchō suru)
- Latin: respicio
- Maori: whakaute
- Polish: uszanować (pl) pf
- Portuguese: respeitar (pt)
- Russian: уважа́ть (ru) impf (uvažátʹ), соблюда́ть (ru) impf (sobljudátʹ)
- Swahili: taadhima (sw), heshimu
- Swedish: respektera (sv)
- Zazaki: emel kerden
to abide by an agreement
- Armenian: հարգել (hy) (hargel)
- Bulgarian: спазвам (bg) (spazvam), съблюдавам (bg) (sǎbljudavam)
- Chinese:
- Mandarin: 遵守 (zh) (zūnshǒu)
- Czech: uznávat
- Dutch: eerbiedigen (nl)
- Finnish: kunnioittaa (fi)
- German: respektieren (de)
- Hungarian: betart (hu), tiszteletben tart
- Icelandic: virða (is)
- Portuguese: respeitar (pt)
- Russian: уважа́ть (ru) impf (uvažátʹ), соблюда́ть (ru) impf (sobljudátʹ)
- Swedish: att respektera (sv)
Interjection[edit]
respect
- (Jamaica) hello, hi
References[edit]
- respect at OneLook Dictionary Search
- respect in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
- respect in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- “respect”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
Anagrams[edit]
- Sceptre, recepts, scepter, sceptre, specter, spectre
Dutch[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from Middle French respect, from Old French respect, from Latin respectus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /rɛsˈpɛkt/, /rəˈspɛkt/
- Hyphenation: res‧pect
- Rhymes: -ɛkt
Noun[edit]
respect n (uncountable)
- respect
- Synonym: eerbied
Derived terms[edit]
- respectabel
- respecteren
- respectloos
- respectvol
Descendants[edit]
- Afrikaans: respek
- Negerhollands: respekt, respect
- → Indonesian: respek
- → Papiamentu: reespek (dated)
- → Saramaccan: lesipéki
- → Sranan Tongo: lespeki
- → Caribbean Javanese: lespéki
French[edit]
Etymology[edit]
From Latin respectus. Doublet of répit.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ʁɛs.pɛ/
Noun[edit]
respect m (plural respects)
- respect
Derived terms[edit]
- avec tout le respect que je vous dois
- respecter
- respectueux
- sauf votre respect
- tenir en respect
Further reading[edit]
- “respect”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Anagrams[edit]
- spectre
Jamaican Creole[edit]
Alternative forms[edit]
- respeck
Etymology[edit]
From English respect.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /ˈɹɪsˌspɛk/
- Hyphenation: res‧pect
Interjection[edit]
respect
- greetings, hello, hi
- (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
-
A: Wah gwaan? B: Respect!
- A: Hello! B: Hi!
- bye, goodbye
- (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)
-
A: Tek it easy. B: Respect!
- A: Take it easy. B: Bye!
See also[edit]
- guidance
- manners
- protection
Noun[edit]
respect
- respect
-
2020, Romardo Lyons, “Mixed reactions to state of emergency”, in The Jamaica Star[3] (in English):
-
“Our problem is that the police dem nah deal with people wid nuh respect. […] ”
- Our problem is that the police aren’t approaching the people with respect. […]
-
- Synonym: ratings
-
Run whey di two a dem, dem nuh have nuh respect fi yuh.
- Get rid of both of them. They have no respect for you.
-
Derived terms[edit]
- respect due
Verb[edit]
respect
- respect
-
2020, “DANCING DEATHTRAPS — Dancers risking serious injuries doing stunts”, in The Jamaica Star[4] (in English):
-
“Dem a tek too much risk wid dem life and nuff a dem nuh respect dem body […] ”
- They’re taking too many risks with their life and a lot of them don’t respect their body. […]
-
- Synonym: rate
-
Yuh done know seh mi respect yuh whole heap.
- You already know that I respect you a lot.
-
Romanian[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Borrowed from French respect, Latin respectus.
Pronunciation[edit]
- IPA(key): /resˈpekt/
Noun[edit]
respect n (uncountable)
- respect, consideration, deference, esteem, regard
- Synonym: stimă
Declension[edit]
declension of respect (singular only)
singular | ||
---|---|---|
n gender | indefinite articulation | definite articulation |
nominative/accusative | (un) respect | respectul |
genitive/dative | (unui) respect | respectului |
vocative | respectule |
[edit]
- respecta
- respectabil
Further reading[edit]
- respect in DEX online — Dicționare ale limbii române (Dictionaries of the Romanian language)
Noun
The earth’s crust floats over a core of molten rock and some of its parts have a tendency to move with respect to one another.
—Mario Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up, 1990
Anyway any honor sent through the mail and cashable is about the only kind I got any great respect for …
—Flannery O’Connor, The Habit of Being, 1979
Our ragged hero wasn’t a model boy in all respects. I am afraid he swore sometimes, and now and then he played tricks upon unsophisticated boys from the country, or gave a wrong direction to honest old gentlemen unused to the city.
—Horatio Alger, Ragged Dick, 1868
The Cat only grinned when it saw Alice. It looked good-natured, she thought: still it had VERY long claws and a great many teeth, so she felt that it ought to be treated with respect.
—Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, 1865
He has earned their respect.
The soldier saluted as a sign of respect.
Despite our differences, I have enormous respect for him.
I have a great respect for his accomplishments.
I expect to be treated with respect.
Your theory makes sense in one respect.
Verb
Many other critics respect her work, but marginalize her as «the best Polish woman artist» or «the best woman artist of Eastern Europe.»
—Andrew Solomon, New York Times Book Review, 21 Aug. 1994
He had a weak point—this Fortunato—although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared.
—Edgar Allan Poe, The Cask of Amontillado, 1846
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof …
—The Constitiution of the United States of America
The students respect the principal for his honesty.
I respect what she has accomplished.
You must learn to respect other people’s property.
We need to respect the environment.
See More
Recent Examples on the Web
The officer, Shawn Toms, received a district-level review in which two sergeants reminded him about the department’s code of conduct which calls for officers to treat members of the public with dignity, respect, courtesy and professionalism.
—Ashley Luthern, Journal Sentinel, 12 Apr. 2023
Two sergeants in his district reminded Toms that the department’s code of conduct calls for officers to treat members of the public with dignity, respect, courtesy and professionalism, according to a memo in his personnel file.
—Ashley Luthern, jsonline.com, 10 Apr. 2023
In this case, Mr. Kluge went out of his way to accommodate his students and treat them all with respect.
—Taylor Penley, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2023
During the ensuing trance, wayward youngsters would commune with their ancestors and learn respect for their elders, Socha said.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN, 10 Apr. 2023
As for Defensive Player of the Year, with all due respect to the Heat’s Bam Adebayo, the Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. gets the nod here ahead of the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley and Bucks’ Brook Lopez.
—Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2023
Some people just have no respect for the cast and their fellow audience members.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 8 Apr. 2023
And how can relationships built on mutual respect, trust and admiration recover from someone sending an unsolicited Calendly link?
—Madeleine Aggeler, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2023
But with respect to security breaches, the IRS is not alone.
—Matthew Jensen, National Review, 3 Apr. 2023
Others would require teachers to use incorrect pronouns, even when teachers want to respect what the student wants, the report says.
—Susan Miller, USA TODAY, 31 Mar. 2023
Aeolus, which was unveiled earlier this month at the Dubai boat show, gives owners a way to respect the oceans and plan for the future, says Oceanco’s marketing director Paris Baloumis.
—Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 31 Mar. 2023
Pope Francis has urged governments and the international community to respect the cultures, dignity and rights of Indigenous Peoples, acknowledging their crucial role in helping address the current global environmental crisis.
—Ellen Mcgirt, Fortune, 31 Mar. 2023
Essential to whitewashing discourse is the employment of a verbal accelerant, some turn of phrase just vague enough to respect the investigation while prompting no follow-up.
—Joseph Lezza, Longreads, 30 Mar. 2023
Harari concludes, in an echo of the US Declaration of Independence, that when the government breaks its commitment to respect the basic liberties of its citizens, citizens have a right to resist.
—Frida Ghitis, CNN, 27 Mar. 2023
Magid is well-respected and brings extensive experience as well as a successful retail track record.
—Walter Loeb, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2023
In order to comply with the restraining order, Shay and Leviss will have to take turns sitting on the reunion couch, with the other respecting the distance and watching remotely from the Los Angeles set.
—Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2023
May 2022: Joe implores fans to respect their privacy.
—Sabrina Park, Harper’s BAZAAR, 22 Mar. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘respect.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Other forms: respects; respecting; respected
Respect is a way of treating or thinking about something or someone. If you respect your teacher, you admire her and treat her well.
People respect others who are impressive for any reason, such as being in authority — like a teacher or cop — or being older — like a grandparent. You show respect by being polite and kind. For a lot of people, taking your hat off is a show of respect. When people are insulted or treated badly, they feel they haven’t been treated with respect. You can respect things as well as people. Saying the Pledge of Allegiance shows respect to your country.
Definitions of respect
-
verb
regard highly; think much of
“I
respect his judgement”-
synonyms:
esteem, prise, prize, value
see moresee less-
Antonyms:
-
disesteem, disrespect
have little or no respect for; hold in contempt
-
types:
- show 6 types…
- hide 6 types…
-
think the world of
esteem very highly
-
fear, revere, reverence, venerate
regard with feelings of respect and reverence; consider hallowed or exalted or be in awe of
-
admire, look up to
feel admiration for
-
enshrine, saint
hold sacred
-
worship
show devotion to (a deity)
-
envy
feel envious towards; admire enviously
-
type of:
-
consider, reckon, regard, see, view
deem to be
-
disesteem, disrespect
-
verb
show respect towards
-
noun
an attitude of admiration or esteem
“she lost all
respect for him”-
synonyms:
esteem, regard
-
noun
a feeling of friendship and esteem
“he inspires
respect”-
synonyms:
regard
-
noun
courteous regard for people’s feelings
“out of
respect for his privacy”-
synonyms:
deference, respectfulness
-
noun
the condition of being honored (esteemed or respected or well regarded)
-
noun
a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard
“be sure to give my
respects to the dean”-
synonyms:
deference
-
noun
behavior intended to please your parents
“he went to law school out of
respect for his father’s wishes”-
synonyms:
obedience
-
noun
(usually preceded by `in’) a detail or point
“it differs in that
respect”-
synonyms:
regard
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘respect’.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
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