Degnare

Degnare is an Italian verb meaning to deign, to condescend to do something. It denotes performing an action that is considered beneath the person who performs it, and is thus used to convey condescension or ceremonial politeness in a self-effacing way. It is largely confined to literary, ceremonial, or historical registers and is rarely used in casual speech.

Etymology and meaning: Degnare derives from the Latin dignāre, from dignus meaning worthy. The verb is closely related to the adjective degno, which means worthy or dignified. The English cognate is deign.

Usage and constructions: The verb is used with an infinitive to indicate the action deigned, such as degnare fare qualcosa. In classical and historical prose, you may encounter past forms like degnò or degnarono in historical narration. In modern prose, the verb appears mainly in set phrases or formal narration; the negative form non degnare expresses refusal to deign to do something.

Examples:

- Egli degnò offrire il suo aiuto. (He deigned to offer his help.)

- Non degnò rispondere alla lettera. (He did not deign to reply to the letter.)

See also: deign; dignus; dignitare.