WordGarden.iorespecter
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪspˈɛktə/
US
- /rɪspˈɛktər/
Meanings
Noun
someone who shows deference based on a person's status or rank
someone who values and follows a tradition, rule, or principle
Beyond the definition
Respecter is a rare and formal noun in English. Today, you will most often meet it in the phrase "respecter of persons," which means someone who gives special favor to people because of their rank, wealth, or position. In the common negative form, "no respecter of persons," it describes someone or something that treats all people the same. So this word is usually not about simple politeness or general admiration. It is mostly about partiality, fairness, and whether status changes how someone is treated.
The noun respecter is rare in modern English and is usually seen in older, formal, or literary language. Its main use is in the expression "respecter of persons." In that phrase, it means someone who shows partiality, especially by treating powerful, rich, or important people better than others.
This is why the phrase "no respecter of persons" is important. If death, justice, or the law is said to be "no respecter of persons," the meaning is that it does not care about social class or title. A judge should be no respecter of persons. Time is no respecter of persons. In both cases, the idea is equal treatment, not admiration.
Because of its form, it is easy to think the word simply means "someone who respects others," but that is misleading in present-day English. Most native speakers would not use it that way. If you want to talk about admiration, care, or polite behavior, words like "respectful," "admiring," or phrases such as "a person who respects tradition" are much more natural.
You may still find respecter outside that fixed phrase in older writing, but even there it usually carries the sense of showing regard or giving weight to someone in a way that can suggest favoritism. That is why the negative form is so common: writers often use it to praise fairness by saying that a person or force is not influenced by status.
So, the safest way to understand respecter is as a rare, formal noun tied mainly to ideas of partiality and equal treatment. When you see it, think less about everyday respect and more about whether someone gives special treatment to certain people.
Examples
- 1
Legal fairness
The judge was known as no respecter of persons, and he treated rich and poor the same.
- Phraseno respecter of persons
not giving special treatment because of someone’s position or importance
- 2
Religious language
In the old sermon, the speaker says that God is no respecter of persons.
- 3
Tradition
He was a great respecter of tradition, so he refused to change the ceremony.
- Usagerespecter of tradition
someone who values and follows tradition; formal and uncommon
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- respecternoun