1560s, "unbecoming, in bad taste," from French indécent (14c.) or directly from Latin indecentem (nominative indecens) "unbecoming, unseemly," from in- "not, opposite of, without" (see in- (1)) + decens "becoming, seemly, fitting, proper," present participle of decere "to be fitting or suitable," from PIE *deke-, from root *dek- "to take, accept." Sense of "offending against propriety" is from 1610s. Indecent assault (1861) originally covered sexual assaults other than rape or intended rape, but by 1934 it was being used as a euphemism for "rape." Related: Indecently