We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Literature

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Is Decorum?

By Lee Johnson
Updated: May 23, 2024
Views: 17,972
References
Share

Decorum is essentially the suitable way of presenting something for a given circumstance. The word has definitions for everyday usage and a specific definition relating to the field of rhetoric. In ordinary usage, the word decorum basically means good taste and appropriate propriety in both dress and conduct. Within the field of rhetoric, it is the practice of ensuring that the words used are suitable for the subject matter, the audience being addressed, the occasion, and the person who is speaking the words. Overall, the word means to be presented in a way suitable for the given occasion.

The word decorum has origins in Latin, coming from words like decor and decorus which have to do with beauty or what is pleasing to the senses. In ordinary English, the word is used to mean the appropriate conventions of dress and conduct required in specific situations. For example, anybody who attends the opera is expected to have a particularly high level of decorum.

Most of the time, the usage of the word in modern English is mainly synonymous with manners and being well-presented. The rules of decorum can be thought of as the rules of etiquette, which tend to be different for different situations but are generally intended to show respect to the host and the other guests present in any formal situation. If somebody is unaware of these codes, he or she is said to have “no sense of decorum.”

Ancient Greece’s rhetoricians have also created a specific definition for the term decorum. The meaning is closely related to the modern meaning, but it is specifically related to the field of argumentation and debate. Words used in an argument should be suited to the subject being discussed and the person who is discussing them, as well as being appropriate for the circumstances, occasion, and audience being addressed.

It is generally thought that if rhetorical decorum is achieved the argument will be well received by those present. Rhetorical “vices” are breaches of the necessary decorum for presenting an argument in writing and speech and will result in an unfavorable reception. Many of these vices have been identified in the study of rhetoric. Decorum relies heavily on its appropriateness for a particular context or audience, however, so its evaluation can be rather subjective. What may be seen as a vice in one situation may be wholly appropriate in another.

Share
Language & Humanities is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Link to Sources
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-is-decorum.htm
Copy this link
Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

Language & Humanities, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.