deference
UK[ˈdef.ər.əns]US[ˈdef.ɚ.əns]
n
polite respect and submission to the judgment, opinion, or wishes of another person.
n
the act of deferring or yielding out of respect.
Morpheme Breakdown
defer
ence
defer
yield
ence
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'deference' originates from the latin verb 'dēferre', which is a compound of 'dē-' (down, away) and 'ferre' (to bear, carry). its literal sense of 'carrying down' evolved into meanings of transferring, reporting, and ultimately yielding or submitting. in medieval latin, 'dēferre' developed the legal sense of submitting to a higher authority. entering english via french in the 17th century, the noun 'deference' was formed by adding the suffix '-ence', crystallizing the abstract concept of a respectful yielding to another's judgment or authority, moving from a physical act of carrying to a social act of submission.
Analysis
Structure: defer (yield) + ence (noun suffix)
defer (from latin 'dēferre', meaning 'to bring down, convey, yield'), ence (a noun-forming suffix of latin origin, indicating a state or quality).
Examples
she treated her elders with great deference.
out of deference to the chairman, the committee postponed the vote.
the junior staff showed proper deference to the experienced partners.