Reverence
noun /ˈrev.ər.əns/ — Deep respect and veneration
Definition
A feeling of deep respect and awe — the posture of a mind that has encountered something greater than itself and responded with genuine humility rather than false modesty.
Beyond the definition
The emotion that properly sized things produce. Reverence is not sycophancy — it is the honest response to genuine greatness.
Origin & history
From Latin 'reverentia' (awe, respect) — from 'revereri' (to stand in awe of) — 're' (again, intensifier) + 'vereri' (to fear, to respect). To hold something in continued awe.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She spoke of her teacher with genuine reverence — not performance, but recognition.
Reverence and sentimentality are different: reverence is accurate, sentimentality is comfortable.
The child looked at the ocean with reverence — and was right to.
Synonyms
veneration, awe, respect, honour, deference
Antonyms
disrespect, contempt, irreverence, profanity
Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Profound Feeling of Awe
An adult stands at the entrance of an ancient, quiet forest, carrying a glowing talisman that illuminates the path forward.
Reverence is a posture of awe when encountering something greater than oneself. The adult's cautious stance at the boundary of the forest, combined with the act of carrying a talisman for respect, illustrates this posture of humility and genuine awe in the presence of an ancient, mysterious natural space.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration