izzat

A respected elder speaks with izzat in the village gathering.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • Honour or personal dignity: "izzat" refers to a person's honour, reputation, or prestige, especially in South Asian cultures. It encompasses social standing and respect within one's community.
   • Self-respect: "izzat" also denotes a sense of personal worth and integrity, often linked to family or communal values.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • He fought to protect his family's izzat after the scandal. (He fought to preserve his family's honour and reputation after a shameful event.)
  • Losing the match was a blow to her izzat in the village. (Losing the match damaged her personal prestige and social standing in the local community.)
  • They valued izzat above material wealth. (They considered personal honour and dignity more important than money or possessions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to maintain izzat": to uphold one's honour or reputation.

  • She worked hard to maintain her izzat in the eyes of her peers. (She worked diligently to preserve her respected status among her equals.)

• "to save izzat": to prevent damage to one's honour or dignity.

  • He apologized publicly to save his izzat. (He made a public apology to avoid losing his honour and respect.)

Variants and Related Words

• Izzatdar (adj): possessing honour or dignity (often used as a title or descriptor).

  • He is an izzatdar man in the community. (He is a man of honour and high standing in the community.)

• Be-izzati (n): dishonour or disgrace (from Persian/Urdu roots, meaning "without izzat").

  • The accusation brought be-izzati upon the family. (The accusation brought dishonour and shame to the family.)

Synonyms

• Honour: respect that is given to someone who is admired for their qualities or achievements.
• Prestige: widespread respect and admiration felt for someone or something on the basis of their achievements or quality.
• Dignity: the state or quality of being worthy of respect.

Phrasal Verbs

Related Idioms

• "To lose izzat": to suffer a loss of honour or reputation.

  • He lost izzat after being caught lying. (He lost his honour and social standing after being discovered in a lie.)

• "To protect one's izzat": to guard one's reputation or dignity from harm.

  • She protected her izzat by refusing the bribe. (She preserved her personal honour by rejecting the corrupt offer.)