Wordwyrt

deference

/ˈdefəəns/DEH-fur-uhns
UK form converted from the US by rule · unchecked
/ˈdɛfɚəns/DEH-fur-uhns

Meaningthe act of yielding

Common meaning: polite respect for another's wishes

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Journey through time

  1. Old Frenchdifferer‘postpone’source
  2. Middle Englishdifferren‘delay’source
  3. Englishdefer‘put off until later’
  4. Englishformed in English from deferdeference‘polite respect for another's wishes’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from defer + -ence.

Dictionary: Skeat (1898), DEFER, p.157 · scan

Source words

  • differer Old French · source word “postpone”

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