Dignify

Dignify is a transitive verb meaning to confer dignity on someone or something, or to treat something as worthy of respect, consideration, or honor. The word derives from Latin dignus “worthy,” combined with the suffix -fy, and entered English through historical contact with Latin and related Romance languages.

In usage, dignify often appears in phrases such as “dignify someone with something” (to grant them a privilege or token deemed fitting for a person of standing) or “dignify a matter” (to treat a matter as worthy of attention or formal consideration). The sense can be positive, as in elevating status or prestige, or rhetorical, as in choosing not to respond to something deemed unworthy of a reply.

Examples illustrate both direct and idiomatic use. For instance, a committee might refuse to dignify a rumor with a response, or a formal ceremony might dignify an achievement by bestowing honors. The verb is typically transitive and takes a direct object, often referring to people, roles, events, or issues.

Dignify is closely related to dignity and dignity’s adjective form dignified. Related terms include dignitary and ennoble. Antonyms include demean, debase, and dishonor. In contemporary usage, dignify can carry either straightforward respect or a nuanced emphasis on whether an act is appropriate or unnecessarily ceremonial. See also respect and status for broader context.