respectful
adj.showing that you admire someone or think they are important. You use this to describe polite behavior that follows the rules of a place or culture.
adj.characterised by or showing politeness and deference toward others. Often describes behavior that adheres to social or professional protocols.
“The students were very respectful during the guest speaker's talk.”
“A respectful silence fell over the crowd as the memorial service began.”
“Maintaining a respectful distance from local customs while observing them is a hallmark of a culturally sensitive traveler.”
Commonly followed by the preposition 'of' when referring to rules or boundaries.
respectful vs respectable — Respectful describes the person giving the respect, while respectable describes the person or thing receiving social approval.
Learners confuse 'respectful' (showing respect) with 'respectable' (worthy of respect or socially acceptable).
From respect + -ful.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.