Decorously

/ˈdɛkərəsli/ adverb

Definition

In a manner showing good taste, propriety, and dignity; with appropriate and respectable behavior.

Etymology

From decorous (showing propriety and dignity) + -ly. Decorous comes from Latin decorus (becoming, proper, fitting). The term entered English in the 16th century and has maintained a formal, somewhat old-fashioned tone.

Kelly Says

What's fascinating about 'decorously' is that it originally had nothing to do with decoration—it comes from Latin decorum (propriety), the same root as 'decorous.' But the similar-sounding 'decor' made people assume they were related, which demonstrates how our brains often connect words by sound rather than actual etymology.

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