dignify

English

Etymology

From Old French dignifier, from Late Latin dignificare, from dignus (“worthy”) + ficare (in comp.), facere (“to make”). See deign and fact.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈdɪɡnɪfaɪ/

Verb

dignify (third-person singular simple present dignifies, present participle dignifying, simple past and past participle dignified)

1. (transitive) To invest with dignity or honour.
   • Ben Jonson

     Your worth will dignify our feast.

2. (transitive) To give distinction to.
3. (transitive) To exalt in rank.
4. (transitive, chiefly in the negative) To treat as worthy or acceptable; to indulge or condone by acknowledging.

   I will not dignify that comment with a response.

Synonyms

• exalt
• elevate
• prefer
• advance
• honor
• illustrate
• adorn
• ennoble

Antonyms

• demean
• humiliate
• mortify
• shame

Related terms

• dignity
• dignification
• dignified

Translations

to invest with dignity or honour

• Bulgarian: ^{(please verify)} величая (bg) (veličaja), ^{(please verify)} придавам достойнство (pridavam dostojnstvo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 品格を与える (ja) (hinkaku wo ataeru)

to exalt in rank

• Bulgarian: въздигам (bg) (vǎzdigam), повишавам (bg) (povišavam)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

to honor

• Bulgarian: удостоявам (bg) (udostojavam)
• Dutch: vereren (nl)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• French: honorer (fr)
• Japanese: 褒賞する (ja) (hōshō suru)