dignĭtas, ātis (gen. plur. dignitatum, Sen. Ben. 2, 17, 1; Plaut. Ep. 9, 5, 3; Vop. Florian. 6, 2: -tatium, Sen. Polyb. 17, 2), f. [dignus].
I Lit., a being worthy, worth, worthiness, merit, desert (so, rarely, and perh. only in Cic.): Lamia petit praeturam: omnesque intelligunt nec dignitatem ei deesse nec gratiam, Cic. Fam. 11, 17; id. Agr. 2, 2, 3: dignitas consularis, a being worthy of the office of consul , id. Mur. 13: pro dignitate laudare, id. Rosc. Am. 12, 33.
II Meton. (the cause for the effect), dignity, greatness, grandeur, authority, rank (cf. honos, honestas, laus, existimatio, gloria, fama, nomen).
A In gen.: mihi gratulabere, quod audisses me pristinam meam dignitatem obtinere. Ego autem, si dignitas est bene de re publica sentire, obtineo dignitatem meam; sin autem in eo dignitas est, si, quod sentias, re efficere possis, ne vestigium quidem ullum est reliquum nobis dignitatis, Cic. Fam. 4, 14, 1; dignitas (est) alicujus honesta et cultu et honore et verecundia digna auctoritas, id. Inv. 2, 55, 156: cum pulchritudinis duo genera sint, quorum in altero venustas est, in altero dignitas; venustatem muliebrem ducere debemus, dignitatem virilem, id. Off. 1, 36, 130: formae, id. ib.; Suet. Claud. 30: corporis, Laber. ap. Macr. S. 2, 7; Nep. Dion. 1, 2; cf. also Cic. Inv. 2, 1; Vell. 2, 29; Plin. Pan. 4, 5: agere cum dignitate ac venustate, Cic. de Or. 1, 31, 142: personarum dignitas, id. ib. § 141: retinere in rebus asperis dignitatem, id. ib. 2, 85, 346: in senatu conservanda auctoritas, apud populum dignitas, Quint. 11, 3, 153 et saep.: celsissima sedes dignitatis atque honoris, Cic. Sull. 5: ex tam alto dignitatis gradu, id. Lael. 12 fin. ; cf. id. Rep. 1, 27 (twice): est in ipsis (liberis populis) magnus delectus hominum et dignitatum, id. ib. 1, 34: aliquem ex humili loco ad summam dignitatem perducere, Caes. B. G. 7, 39, 1: aliquem dignitate exaequare, Caes. B. C. 1, 4, 4: ut secundum locum dignitatis Remi obtinerent, id. B. G. 6, 12 fin. ; 4, 17, 1; cf. id. ib. 6, 8, 1; 7, 66, 5; 7, 77, 6; id. B. C. 1, 9, 2 et saep.—
B In partic.
α Official dignity, honorable employment, office : gratulor laetorque tum praesenti tum etiam sperata tua dignitate, Cic. Fam. 2, 9; id. ap. Quint. 7, 3, 35; cf. in plur., Plin. 21, 7, 21, § 44; id. Pan. 61, 2 al.—
β Men holding high office, men in honorable employment : cum dignitates abessent, Liv. 22, 40, 4; cf. Quint. 11, 1, 67.—
C Transf., of inanimate things, worth, value, excellence : opsonii, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 23: praeclara et plena dignitatis domus, Cic. Off. 1, 39; cf. porticus, id. Q. Fr. 3, 1, 1; id. de Or. 3, 46, 180: portus, urbis, Nep. Them. 6: loci, Suet. Calig. 41 al.: dignitas, quae est in latitudine pectoris, Quint. 11, 3, 141: verborum, Cic. Prov. Cons. 11, 27; Quint. 11, 3, 46; cf. id. 8, 3, 24: debita rerum, id. 12, 1, 8; cf. id. 8, 3, 38: subsequendi, id. 12, 11, 28: cum dignitate actionis, id. 5, 10, 54 al.