reverentia

Reverentia is a Latin noun meaning reverence, respect, or awe. The term originates in classical Latin and is related to attitudes of proper regard toward people, gods, sacred things, and authorities. In English, reverentia is often rendered as reverence or reverent attitude, and it appears in philosophical, religious, and rhetorical contexts.

In classical usage, reverentia denotes a fitting respect or deference appropriate to a person or object of admiration or authority. Writers such as Cicero and Seneca employ the term to describe a disciplined, modest attitude toward the divine, the state, or distinguished individuals. It can encompass both inward esteem and outward behavior that reflects that esteem.

In religious and theological contexts, reverentia is associated with piety and worship. In medieval and scholastic thought, it is treated as a form of virtue related to veneration before God and sacred things, as well as proper deference to holy persons, relics, and rites. The concept often implies humility before the transcendent and an attitude that guides how one speaks, acts, and participates in worship.

In modern usage, reverentia remains a term in ecclesiastical Latin and in discussions of virtue and ethics. It is used to describe a respectful and devout attitude in liturgical settings as well as a general regard for persons, institutions, and cultural or religious heritage. While closely related to pietas and piety, reverentia emphasizes the disposition of reverence and awe that underpins respectful conduct.

See also: reverence, piety, pietas, humility.