decent
/ˈdi.sənt/adjective
decent is spelled D-E-C-E-N-T: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, decent means “Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in decent?
| Letters | 6: D-E-C-E-N-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 25 times per million words; the 3,612th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is decent?
Decent appears 25 times per million words in written English, the 3,612th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce decent?
- UK /ˈdiː.sənt/
- US /ˈdi.sənt/
- Australia /ˈdiː.sənt/
Decent has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-decent.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with decent?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as decent from its last stressed vowel (/isənt/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of decent
- more decent comparative
- most decent superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does decent mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances.
- 2
Having a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness.
Zohran Mamdani is a decent man for not accepting the pay rise he’s entitled to, as he wishes to see that money go to the poor of New York.
- 3
informalSufficiently clothed or dressed to be seen.
Are you decent? May I come in?
- 4
Fair; acceptable; okay.
He's a decent saxophonist, but probably not good enough to make a career of it.
- 5
Significant; substantial.
There are a decent number of references out there, if you can find them.
- 6
Conforming to perceived standards of good taste.
- 7
obsoleteComely; shapely; well-formed.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Decent in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Portuguese | digno , decente , razoável |
| French | intègre , décent , substantiel |
| German | anständig, sittsam , anständig bekleidet, vorzeigbar, bist du angezogen?, hast du was an? |
| Spanish | decente |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does decent come from?
Borrowed from Middle French décent, or its source, Latin decēns, present participle of decet (“it is fitting or suitable”), from Proto-Indo-European *deḱ- (“to take, accept, to receive, greet, be suitable”) (compare Ancient Greek δοκέω (dokéō, “to appear, seem, think”), δέχομαι (dékhomai, “to accept”); Sanskrit दशस्यति (daśasyáti, “shows honor, is gracious”), दाशति (dāśati, “makes offerings, bestows”)). Meaning ‘kind, pleasant’ is from 1902.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).