What does reputable mean?
Reputable means having a good reputation and being trusted because of reliable character, sound judgment, or proven quality. The adjective is commonly applied to people and organizations, but it also describes institutions, publications, brands, and other sources whose standing gives others confidence. A reputable journal, for example, is regarded as credible and rigorous, while a reputable company is trusted to honor its commitments and conduct business fairly. The word carries a distinctly positive and generally formal connotation. It is stronger than merely being well known: popularity or widespread recognition does not by itself make a person or organization reputable. Reputable therefore emphasizes established trust and a good public image based on dependable conduct. In discussions of education, employment, commerce, research, and media, it serves as a useful marker of quality and reliability.
adjectiveHaving a good reputation or being trusted because of established character, quality, or reliability.
- Having a good reputation and being trusted or respected.
"The university is highly reputable and has attracted many distinguished researchers."
"Consumers are more likely to trust information from a reputable medical organization."
"She joined a reputable firm whose name carried weight in the industry."
A person can be famous without being reputable: reputation, in the strict sense, concerns trust rather than celebrity.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reputable come from?
Reputable derives from the adjective repute, meaning held in esteem or generally regarded, which comes through Old French from Latin reputare, a compound of re- and putare, meaning to reckon or consider. The addition of the suffix -able adapted the idea of repute to the modern English adjective. Latin putare also underlies words such as compute, impute, and putative, while the same broader root appears in reputation, respectable, and respect.
Related word forms
How reputable is actually used
Generally formal and positive, used especially for people, organizations, institutions, publications, and sources. It implies established trust, not merely popularity.
Easily confused with reputable
A reputable person or organization is genuinely trusted, whereas a reputed person or thing is merely believed or said to possess a particular quality.
Credible primarily describes something whose statements or evidence seem believable, while reputable more commonly describes a person, organization, or institution known for good character or standing.