reverence
REV-er-uns
/ˈrev.ər.əns/
Deep respect, awe, and veneration for someone or something.
Combines emotional awe, deep respect, and moral quietude toward something holy, heroic, or ancient.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'revereri', where 're-' amplifies 'vereri' (to feel awe or fear). Originally, reverence involved a blend of fearful awe and loving respect before the sacred.
Word relationships
- veneration: Veneration carries explicit religious or saintly devotion, while reverence can apply broadly to nature or ancestors.
- awe: Awe emphasizes overwhelming wonder or slight fear, whereas reverence stresses solemn respect.
- irreverence: Irreverence implies a deliberate lack of respect or seriousness.
- contempt: Contempt is feeling that something or someone is worthless or beneath consideration.
Commonly confused with
- deference: Deference means yielding to another's judgment or authority, while reverence is feeling profound honor and awe.
Word family
- reverent (adjective): Showing deep respect.
- reverently (adverb): With deep respect.
- revere (verb): To feel deep respect or admiration for.
Collocations
- deep reverence
- treat with reverence
- reverence for nature
- profound reverence
Example sentences
- "The elders taught the youth to approach the old forest with deep reverence and quiet attention." Environmental ethics
- "He spoke of his grandmother's ancestral remedies with a reverence that silenced the entire room." Literature
Memory hook
REVERE = REVERENCE. Think of bowing low in solemn silence. Profound awe and respect.
When not to use
Do not use for routine polite manners or casual friendliness.
Fun facts
- Albert Schweitzer built his ethical philosophy around the core concept of 'Reverence for Life' (Ehrfurcht vor dem Leben).
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