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Definition of decorum

decorum

/dɪˈkɔːr.əm/
de · co · rum
Adverb:decorously
•
Plural:decorums
•
Adjective:decorous
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decorum Lexical Profile

decorum Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

Behavior in keeping with good taste and propriety; polite, dignified, and socially acceptable conduct.

Example

"The judge demanded that all attorneys and spectators maintain strict decorum in the courtroom."

2

In classical rhetoric, poetics, and dramatic theory, the principle that literary style, character portrayal, and action should be appropriate to the subject matter, speaker, and genre.

Example

"Renaissance playwrights debated whether mixing comic scenes into a tragedy violated classical rules of dramatic decorum."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
View all antonyms for decorum

• Rhymes for decorum

• Nearby Words

decorator
decorous
decorously
decorum
decoupage
decouple
decoupling

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the mid-16th century directly from Latin decorum ('that which is seemly'), the neuter noun use of the adjective decorus ('fit, proper, or graceful'), related to decus ('ornament or dignity').

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Decorum. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/decorum
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