What is dignity?

Dignity refers to the importance, values, and qualities a person possesses which make other people respect him or her. It is often a calm, controlled behavior or appearance which other people observe in such individual.
There is a wide variety of contexts in which the word dignity may be applicable. For example, the way a person conducts himself or herself in the course of an activity regarded as challenging or trying may be useful in assessing the level of dignity demonstrated during that activity.
A person may be regarded as having comported himself or herself with dignity if he or she behaved in a calm, controlled and serious manner in the course of a challenging divorce case.
Dignity may be applicable in other contexts as well, including the protection of individual dignity in the course of designing laws of privacy.