Dignify
/ˈdɪɡnɪfaɪ/
verbB2
Definition
Dignify means to give something or someone respect or honor, making them appear important or valuable. It often involves treating something with seriousness or showing that it deserves respect, even if it might not seem important at first.
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⚡ See It in Action
To make something appear worthy or honorable
- •She dignified his small achievement by mentioning it in her speech.
- •The teacher dignified the student's question by answering it carefully.
- •Don't dignify rude behavior with a response.
To treat someone or something with respect or honor
- •The ceremony dignified the work of the volunteers.
- •They dignified the old tradition by continuing it every year.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dignify" like "make important" but with respect and honor added—it's more than just noticing something; it's giving it value.
- ✓Picture someone standing tall and calm, showing they are proud and deserving respect.
- ✓It's the feeling when you treat someone kindly and seriously because you believe they deserve respect.
- ✓Sounds like "DIG-ni-fy" → imagine digging a small treasure chest to find something valuable inside, showing it deserves honor.
- ✓Think of a king or queen who dignifies a person by giving them a medal or title, making them feel important.
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (no attention), dignify means to give attention and respect.
- ✓NOT like "praise" (say good things), dignify can be more about showing respect quietly or by action.
- ✓NOT like "compliment" (say nice words), dignify is about giving honor or worth, not just words.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Honor: to show respect or high value (Use when you want to express clear respect or admiration)
- •Respect: to treat with care and regard (Use when focusing on polite or careful treatment)
- •Elevate: to raise in importance or rank (Use when emphasizing raising status or importance)
- •Glorify: to praise or make something seem great (Use when the focus is on praise or admiration, often more emotional)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "dign-" (from Latin dignus meaning worthy) + suffix "-ify" (to make or cause)
- •Etymology: From Latin "dignificare," meaning to make worthy or honorable
- •Historical development: Entered English in the early 1600s, originally meaning to make worthy or honorable
- •Modern usage: Used to describe giving respect or importance to something, often to improve its value or how people see it
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can you dignify small or simple actions in your daily life to show respect to others?
•When might it be better NOT to dignify something? How does this choice affect communication?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.When you dignify someone's opinion, you ___ it with respect even if you disagree.
2.People often dignify traditions by ___ them carefully over many years.
3.You should not dignify rude comments with a ___ response.
4.The award ceremony dignified the volunteers by giving them ___ for their work.
5.To dignify a person means to treat them as ___ and important.
6.Sometimes, dignify is used to ___ something that might seem small or unimportant.
7.When a leader dignifies a group, they ___ their value and importance publicly.