polite

[ puh-lahyt ]

/ pəˈlaɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR polite ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective, po·lit·er, po·lit·est.

showing good manners toward others, as in behavior, speech, etc.; courteous; civil: a polite reply.

refined or cultured: polite society.

of a refined or elegant kind: polite learning.

Origin of polite

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin polītus, past participle of polīre to polish

SYNONYMS FOR polite

1 well-bred, gracious. See civil.

2 urbane, polished, poised, courtly, cultivated.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR polite ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR polite

1, 2 rude.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR polite ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM polite

po·lite·ly, adverb po·lite·ness, noun su·per·po·lite, adjective su·per·po·lite·ly, adverb

su·per·po·lite·ness, noun

Words nearby polite

polished, polished rice, polit., polit. econ., politburo, polite, politesse, politian, politic, political, political action committees

Example sentences from the Web for politeness

Humor, blue eyes, and Midwestern politeness: what more could the ladies (and a good portion of the men) of New York want?

The Captain’s Log: Derek Jeter’s Lady-Killing Past, From ‘Yeah, Jeets!’ to Gift Baskets |Emily Shire |September 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Until of course even they reach the limit of their politeness.

11 Best Monty Python Moments |Natasha Bach |November 20, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
He parried every question and implication that Wallace threw at him with equanimity, humility, politeness, and even humor.

Was Mike Wallace’s Toughest Interview a 12-Year-Old Kid? |Catie Lazarus |April 14, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
Used as a humorously exaggerated formula of politeness when refusing food.

Wunnerfitz! Sollybuster! The Fun of the Dictionary of American Regional English |Ammon Shea |April 12, 2012 |DAILY BEAST

In a later scene when Smiley interrogates Haydon, they never break through the barrier of politeness.

‘Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’: Oscar Nominees Gary Oldman and Peter Straughan |Lorenza Muñoz |February 15, 2012 |DAILY BEAST
The captain was on hand and greeted him with a certain awkward courtesy, for politeness was not in his line.

Frontier Boys in Frisco |Wyn Roosevelt
There was no situation, however delicate, that they did not save through tact and politeness.

The Old Furniture Book |N. Hudson Moore
People who make a superstition of politeness infallibly lose the higher courtesy of truth.

The Invader |Margaret L. Woods
Horace treated Mrs. Anderson and the Major with all the politeness he could muster.

Battling the Clouds |Captain Frank Cobb
Meekest man I ever saw, and ought to have a monument for politeness.

Dave Porter in the Far North |Edward Stratemeyer

British Dictionary definitions for politeness

polite

/ (pəˈlaɪt) /

adjective

showing regard for others, in manners, speech, behaviour, etc; courteous

cultivated or refined polite society

elegant or polished polite letters

Derived forms of polite

politely, adverb politeness, noun

Word Origin for polite

C15: from Latin polītus polished; see polish

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

polite

adjective, po·lit·er, po·lit·est.

Origin of polite

SYNONYMS FOR polite

ANTONYMS FOR polite

OTHER WORDS FROM polite

Words nearby polite

Example sentences from the Web for politeness

British Dictionary definitions for politeness

adjective

Derived forms of polite

Word Origin for polite

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

polite

adjective, po·lit·er, po·lit·est.

Origin of polite

SYNONYMS FOR polite

ANTONYMS FOR polite

OTHER WORDS FROM polite

Words nearby polite

Words related to politeness

Example sentences from the Web for politeness

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for politeness

adjective

Derived forms of polite

Word Origin for polite

British Dictionary definitions for politeness