From Middle English reverence and reverencen, from Old French reverence and Latin reverentia, from Latin revereor, from re- + vereor, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wer-.

• IPA: /ˈɹɛv.ə.ɹəns/, /ˈɹɛv.ɹəns/

reverence

1. Veneration; profound awe and respect, normally in a sacred context.
2. An act of showing respect, such as a bow.
   • August 2, 1758, Oliver Goldsmith, A Letter from a Traveller

     Make twenty reverences upon receiving […] about twopence.

3. The state of being revered.
   • 1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Seditions and Troubles”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC ↗:

     When discords, and quarrels, and factions, are carried openly and audaciously, it is a sign the reverence of government is lost.

4. A form of address for some members of the clergy.

   your reverence

5. That which deserves or exacts manifestations of reverence; reverend character; dignity; state.
   • 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act V, scene i]:

     Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me
     That I am forced to lay my reverence by.

• contempt
• blasphemy
• profanity

• German: Ehrfurcht, Bewunderung, Verehrung, Hochachtung
• Italian: riverenza
• Portuguese: deferência, reverência
• Russian: почита́ние
• Spanish: reverencia, veneración

• German: Ehrerbietung, Reverenz
• Portuguese: reverência
• Russian: реверанс

• German: Reverenz
• Russian: преподобие

reverence (reverences, present participle reverencing; simple past and past participle reverenced)

1. (transitive) To show or feel reverence to.

   Synonyms: honour, venerate