noun

deference

DEF-er-uns/ˈdefərəns/

Respectful yielding to another person's judgment or wishes.

The juror awards the ribbon in deference to his colleague's recommendation.

Deference shown through a courteous change of judgment: an art-show juror abandons his own preferred winner and awards the ribbon to the painting his fellow juror recommends.

Etymology

deLatindown, away

+ferLatinto carry

+enceFrenchaction or state

Here 'carry away' connects with transferring or referring a matter to someone else's judgment. Deference names the respectful yielding involved in allowing another person's judgment or wishes to guide the outcome.

In context

Enhanced Public Domain192:02

with an air of the profoundest deference and respect he seemed to pay him almost religious homage

Alexander the Great Biography (Audiobook)

More examples

They change the date in deference to her wishes.
She shows deference without surrendering her own judgment.
The younger members treat the founder with considerable deference.

Forms

deference

Similar words

respect: Respect is esteem; deference includes yielding to another person’s judgment or wishes.
submission: Submission accepts another’s authority or control; deference can be a courteous yielding of judgment.