polite
- 01 A2 Elementary
having good manners and showing respect for others.
demonstrating good manners and social etiquette; showing regard for others through conventional social grace.
Simple“The waiter was very polite even though the restaurant was extremely busy.”
In context“It is considered polite to send a handwritten thank-you note after staying at someone's home for the weekend.”
PitfallHe was very polite with me. He was very polite to me.When describing who someone is being polite toward, use the preposition 'to'.
- 02 C1 Advanced
relating to people who are well-educated and have high social standing.
relating to or characteristic of refined, cultivated, or upper-class society.
Simple“In polite society, it was once considered rude to talk about money.”
In context“The author offers a biting critique of the hypocrisies often found within the circles of polite society during the Victorian era.”
SynonymsAntonymsuncouthvulgar
From Latin polītus (“polished”), past participle of poliō (“to polish, smooth”); see polish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.