honorific

UK: /ˌɒnəˈrɪfɪk/ US: /ˌɑnəˈrɪfɪk/ ,(on′ə rif′ik)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

hon•or•if•ic /ˌɑnəˈrɪfɪk/   adj. 

1. Linguistics carrying or signaling honor, such as a title or a grammatical form used in speaking to or about a superior, an elder, etc.:
   Japanese uses honorific words depending on the status of the person speaking and of the person spoken to.

n. [countable]

2. Linguistics (in certain languages, as Chinese and Japanese) a class of grammatical words or forms of words used to show respect:
   the complicated use of honorifics.
3. Linguistics a title or term of respect.

See -fic-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

hon•or•if•ic  (on′ə rif′ik), adj. 

1. Also, hon′or•if′i•cal. doing or conferring honor.
2. Linguistics conveying honor, as a title or a grammatical form used in speaking to or about a superior, elder, etc.

n. 

3. Linguistics (in certain languages, as Chinese and Japanese) a class of forms used to show respect, esp. in direct address.
4. a title or term of respect.

• Latin honōrificus honor-making. See honor-, -i-, -fic
• 1640–50

hon′or•if′i•cal•ly, adv. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

honorific / ˌɒnəˈrɪfɪk/, honorifical / ˌɒnəˈrɪfɪkəl/ adjective

1. showing or conferring honour or respect
2. (of a pronoun, verb inflection, etc) indicating the speaker's respect for the addressee or his or her acknowledgment of inferior status
3. (as noun): a Japanese honorific

ˌhonorˈifically adverb