repute

IPA/rɪˈpjuːt/
KK[ripjˈut]IPA/rɪˈpjuːt/

repute — noun

1. the overall opinion or judgment that people in general have about a person, grou

1.nounB2
Definition

the overall opinion or judgment that people in general have about a person, group, or thing — based on what others say and past experience rather than direct knowledge.

Example

The old hotel has an ill repute among travelers because of its poor hygiene record.

ill repute (bad reputation)

Beatrix is a surgeon of high repute in the field of pediatric cardiology.

of high repute (prepositional modifier)

Common collocations
  • ill repute
  • of repute
  • of high repute
  • of good repute
  • by repute
  • repute as
Synonyms
  • reputation

    neutral, everyday equivalent; far more common across registers

  • standing

    emphasises social or professional position rather than general opinion

  • fame

    strongly positive and usually implies wide public awareness

  • name

    informal; 'making a name for oneself' focuses on personal achievement rather than others' judgment

Antonyms
  • disrepute

    the state of being held in low or bad regard; the opposite condition

Grammar Patterns

of repute (prepositional phrase)

ill/good/high repute (adjective + noun)

Usage Note

More formal and slightly dated than 'reputation'. Common in fixed phrases like 'of repute', 'ill repute', and 'by repute'. Unlike 'reputation', 'repute' is rarely used with the indefinite article ('a repute' is non-standard).

Common Mistakes

The restaurant has a good repute.
The restaurant has a good reputation.
'repute' is uncountable; use 'reputation' with 'a' when referring to a specific instance.

repute — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Reputation' is the everyday word for the general opinion others hold, covering good, bad, or neutral ('a reputation for honesty'; 'an unfair reputation'). 'Repute' is a formal, slightly dated synonym that appears most often in fixed phrases like 'of repute' (a scholar of repute), 'ill repute', or 'by repute' (I know her only by repute). 'Fame' is strongly positive and implies wide public attention ('a singer who achieved fame overnight'). 'Renown' overlaps with fame but carries a sense of earned respect through achievement ('a scientist of international renown'). 'Standing' focuses on position within a community or field, often tied to rank or seniority ('her standing among fellow professors') rather than public opinion at large. Use 'repute' in formal writing when you need a concise, elevated tone; use 'reputation' for everyday conversation and neutral contexts.

reputation ↗fame ↗renownstanding ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • man of repute
  • woman of repute
  • scholar of repute

Adverbs

  • generally reputed
  • widely reputed

Phrases

  • ill repute
  • of high repute
  • by repute

Prepositions

  • by repute
  • of repute

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'reputare' — to think over, count, or reckon — formed from 're-' (again, back) and 'putare' (to think, consider, or prune). Passed into Old French as 'reputer' and entered Middle English around the 1400s. The verb sense ('to consider, believe') evolved from the idea of 'counting someone as' or 'reckoning something to be true'. The noun sense ('general opinion') emerged from the passive use: what one is reputed to be becomes one's repute.