Decent, a.
Etymology: [L. decens, decentis, p. pr. of decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr. d to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. décent. Cf. Decorate, Decorum, Deig.]
1. Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language. Shak. Before his decent steps. Milton.
2. Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest.
3. Comely; shapely; well-formed. [Archaic] A sable stole of cyprus lawn Over thy decent shoulders drawn. Milton. By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed. Pope.
4. Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person. A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs. Burke. -- De"cent*ly, adv. -- De"cent*ness, n.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for decent; he lists it under becoming.
Where he writes about it:
That is decent which does not offend modesty or propriety. — from becoming
The dignity and gravity of a patriarch would not be becoming to a child; at a funeral lively, cheery sociability would not be decorous, while noisy hilarity would not be decent; sumptuous display would not be suitable for a poor person. — from becoming