deference
Meaning: Respectful submission or yielding to the judgement, authority, or wishes of another, especially someone senior or more knowledgeable.
Deference implies a polite, sometimes humble, acknowledgement of another's superiority in rank, expertise, or age. The phrase 'in deference to' is extremely common, meaning 'out of respect for.' In British culture, deference has historically been associated with class hierarchy and institutional respect, though attitudes have shifted considerably since the 1960s. The adjective 'deferential' describes the manner of someone showing deference.
Examples
- In deference to the family's wishes, the media agreed not to publish photographs of the funeral. 出于对家属意愿的尊重,媒体同意不刊登葬礼的照片。En deferencia a los deseos de la familia, los medios acordaron no publicar fotografías del funeral.遺族の意向への敬意から、メディアは葬儀の写真を掲載しないことで合意した。유족의 뜻을 존중하여 언론은 장례식 사진을 게재하지 않기로 합의했다.
- The young barrister showed appropriate deference to the senior judge throughout the hearing. 这位年轻的出庭律师在整个庭审过程中对资深法官表现出适当的尊重。El joven abogado mostró la deferencia adecuada hacia el juez principal durante toda la vista.若い法廷弁護士は審理を通じて上級裁判官に適切な敬意を示した。젊은 법정 변호사는 심리 내내 상급 판사에게 적절한 경의를 표했다.
- The era of automatic deference to authority has given way to a more questioning public culture. 对权威自动敬服的时代已让位于更具质疑精神的公众文化。La era de la deferencia automática a la autoridad ha dado paso a una cultura pública más cuestionadora.権威に対する自動的な恭順の時代は、より批判的な市民文化に取って代わられた。권위에 대한 자동적인 복종의 시대는 더 비판적인 시민 문화로 대체되었다.
Pronunciation
Usage Guide
Context: social, professional, political
Tone: neutral
Origin & History
From French déférence, from Latin deferre (to carry down, to yield), from de- (down) + ferre (to carry). Entered English in the 17th century.
Cultural Context
Era: Modern
Generation: All ages
Social background: Universal
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