a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard; "his deference to her wishes was very flattering"; "be sure to give my respects to the dean"
courteous regard for people's feelings; "in deference to your wishes"; "out of respect for his privacy"
the quality of being widely admired or accepted or sought after; "his charm soon won him affection and popularity"; "the universal popularity of American movies"
a splendid assemblage (especially of famous people)
(astronomy) a collection of star systems; any of the billions of systems each having many stars and nebulae and dust; "`extragalactic nebula' is a former name for `galaxy'"