Showing respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, or wishes of another person. It implies polite respect for authority or expertise.
From Latin 'deferre,' meaning 'to carry down' or 'to bring before' (de- 'down' + ferre 'to carry'). Originally described the act of bringing matters before a superior for judgment, evolving to describe the respectful attitude one shows when yielding to another's authority.
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