What does respectable mean?
Word: Respectable
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Respectable means thought by society to be good, honest and proper; also fairly good in size or quality.
Synonyms: decent, honourable, proper, reputable
Antonyms: disreputable, shameful, improper
How do you spell respectable?
Syllables: re - spect - a - ble
Tricky part: The ending is able, not ible, even though many adjectives that sound the same end in ible.
Watch out for: respectible, respectabel, respecktable
Memory tip: Someone respectable is able to earn respect, so the word ends with able.
Respectable in a sentence
Example 1: She scored a respectable 78 in a very tough maths paper.
Example 2: The old hotel looked respectable after a fresh coat of paint.
Example 3: The family next door are quiet, respectable people who help everyone on the street.
Fun Fact
Respect comes from Latin respicere, to look back at: to respect someone was first to look at them again with care and regard.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word respectable as used in the sentence:
Kenji wanted to look respectable at the school prize-giving, so he ironed his shirt twice.
a) sleepy
b) shabby
c) sporty
d) cheerful
Show answer
b) shabby. Shabby clothes are worn and untidy, the opposite of the neat look Kenji wanted.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
After a slow start, the team reached a ecbreatlspe total of 240 runs.
a) receptacle
b) perceptible
c) spectacle
d) respectable
Show answer
d) respectable. Receptacle has no b or s, perceptible needs a second p and an i, and spectacle is two letters short.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to complete the word:
r_sp_ctable
a) e, e
b) a, e
c) i, e
d) e, a
Show answer
a) e, e. Both gaps hold the vowel of the word's own root, the one you hear in the first syllable of every.
Spell-o-Spell
Three of these words are spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of the misspelt word:
1. respectable 2. honourable 3. dignifyed 4. courteous
a) polite and kind in manner
b) seen by others as fit to be looked up to
c) keeping to high moral standards
d) calm, serious and composed in manner
Show answer
d) calm, serious and composed in manner. Word 3 keeps a y that should have changed to i before the ending; the other three are correct.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which habit would help a shopkeeper stay respectable in his town?
a) keeping the shop shut most days
b) arguing with nearly every customer
c) selling last week's bread as fresh
d) always giving customers the right change
Show answer
d) always giving customers the right change
2. A respectable score in a hard test is ____.
a) lost before it was marked
b) not yet added up
c) good enough to be pleased with
d) the lowest in the class
Show answer
c) good enough to be pleased with
