reverence

English

Etymology

From Middle English reverence (noun) and reverencen (verb), from Old French reverence and Latin reverentia, from Latin revereor (“I stand in awe, respect, revere”), from re- + vereor, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover, heed, notice”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/, /ˈɹɛv.ɹəns/
• Hyphenation: rev‧er‧ence

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -ɛvɹəns

Noun

reverence (countable and uncountable, plural reverences)

1. Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
2. An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
   • August 2, 1758, Oliver Goldsmith, A Letter from a Traveller

     Make twenty reverences upon receiving about twopence.

3. The state of being revered.
   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seditions and Troubles”, in The Essayes , 3rd edition, London: Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:

     When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government is lost.

4. A form of address for some members of the clergy.

   your reverence

5. That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me
     That I am forced to lay my reverence by.

Antonyms

• contempt
• blasphemy
• profanity

Derived terms

• reverent (a)
• revere (v)
• reverently (adv)
• save-reverence, sir-reverence, saving your reverence

Translations

Verb

reverence (third-person singular simple present reverences, present participle reverencing, simple past and past participle reverenced)

1. (transitive) To show or feel reverence to.

   Synonyms: honour, venerate

Translations

Middle French

Noun

reverence f (usually uncountable, plural reverences)

1. respect