Are Decent and Decorous same ? Learn with mind trick

Decent or Decorous
Q. Your dress was looking very ....... in the party.
Choose the suitable one: decent or decorous ? 
There is very thin layer of difference between decent and decorous. In this post, we will learn about that thin layer with our unique mind trick.


what is the difference between decorous and decent?

Decorous (Adj.)
Meaning:
  • correct and polite in a particular situation
  • behavior that seems very respectable, calm, and polite in a particular situation
  • something is decorous means it is attractive
Usages:
  1. But there are more decorous ways of handling a colleague who’s not able to do what you want on your timetable.
  2. Their behavior was modest, unassuming, and decorous in a high degree.
  3. They sat in a decorous silence, waiting for the beginning of the program.

Decent (Adj./Adv)
Meaning:
  • polite, moral and honest
  • It is used to describe something which is considered to be of an acceptable standard or quality
He has a decent voice to be a singer.
  • It can be used to describe something which is morally correct or acceptable
Beating own wife is not a decent act.
  • It also means respectable and upright, decent people are honest and behave in a way that most people approve of
  • As an adverb, it means in a right manner

When to use Decent and Decorous?
If we see the meaning of both of the words, they have almost the same meaning; in some sentences, both of them are acceptable, like, Indian foods are very decent, we can write decorous in place of decent; but in some sentences, they can be meant different meaning, like, My father is very decorous-if you are describing your father outward appearance, like, attire, dress, etc. If we writes My father is very decent-it means he is morally good, he is honest and upright.
Decent implies that something or someone is morally correct and proper.
Ex: "You could do the decent thing and apologize."
Decorous has the same sense but relates more to outward appearance or behavior.
Ex: "If Brain was late for breakfast, his father maintained a decorous silence." - 

According to Dictionary of confusing words:

Mind Trick:
Decorous sounds like the word "decoration". They come from the same Latin word decor, meaning ornament, out-look beauty, charm, etc. With the help of the word "decoration", we can easily remember that decorous has a sense of outward appearance.


In a nutshell
Decent is used for inside beauty, like, your honesty, politeness, uprightness. A decent thing are those things that have been socially and politically accepting by society for ages, like, wearing proper dress, full shirt and full pant, for college, respecting parents.
Decorous is used for outward appearance, something for a particular situation.

Q. Your dress was looking very ....... in the party.
Choose the suitable one: decent or decorous ? 
Answer:
The right answer is decorous.
You can use decent here but decorous is more suitable.


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