n.
Pronunciation: ' ä-n ə r
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French onur, honur, from Latin honos, honor
Date: 13th century
1 a : good name or public esteem : REPUTATION b : a showing of usually merited respect : RECOGNITION <pay honor to our founder>
2 : PRIVILEGE <had the honor of joining the captain for dinner>
3 : a person of superior standing ― now used especially as a title for a holder of high office <if Your Honor please>
4 : one whose worth brings respect or fame : CREDIT <an honor to the profession>
5 : the center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon
6 : an evidence or symbol of distinction: as a : an exalted title or rank b (1) : BADGE , DECORATION (2) : a ceremonial rite or observance <buried with full military honor s > c : an award in a contest or field of competition d archaic : a gesture of deference : BOW e plural (1) : an academic distinction conferred on a superior student (2) : a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular course
7 : CHASTITY , PURITY <fought fiercely for her honor and her life ― Barton Black>
8 a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : INTEGRITY <wouldn't do it as a matter of honor > b : one's word given as a guarantee of performance <on my honor , I will be there>
9 plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a host <asked her to do the honor s >
10 a (1) : an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit in bridge (2) : the scoring value of honors held in bridge ― usually used in plural b : the privilege of playing first from the tee in golf
synonyms HONOR , HOMAGE , REVERENCE , DEFERENCE mean respect and esteem shown to another. HONOR may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition <the nomination is an honor >. HOMAGE adds the implication of accompanying praise <paying homage to Shakespeare>. REVERENCE implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe <great reverence for my father>. DEFERENCE implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence <showed no deference to their elders>. synonym see in addition HONESTY