deference

2 definitions • 3 examples

respect and politeness:

treat someone with deference He treats her with such deference.

in deference to She covered her head in deference to (= because of a polite respect for) Muslim custom.

respect shown for another person esp. because of that person’s experience, knowledge, age, or power:

In deference to nature lovers, the town refused to grant a permit to builders who would have filled in a swamp used by many birds.