czcigodny

Czcigodny is a Polish adjective meaning worthy of reverence or venerable. It derives from czcić (to venerate) and godny (worthy) and is used to express formal respect toward a person or their status. The term appears most often in formal written Polish, especially in religious contexts, but can also be found in ceremonial or highly courteous correspondence. In everyday speech, it is much less common, with szanowny or polite forms taking precedence.

In usage, czcigodny is typically employed before a title or name as a titular honorific. The adjective agrees in gender and number with the noun it accompanies: czcigodny ksiądz, czcigodna pani profesor, czcigodne osoby. In direct address or letters, one may encounter phrases such as czcigodny panie profesorze or czcigodny księże, though more contemporary style often prefers less formal options. In some formal or religious documents, higher registers may add intensifiers such as Wielce czcigodny.

A related noun is czcigodność, which denotes the quality or condition of being venerable or venerability in a more abstract sense. The term remains primarily literary or ceremonial; it is not typically used in ordinary conversation.

See also: formal forms of address in Polish, the honorifics used in religious and academic contexts, and czcigodność as a concept of reverence.