English Dictionary
Definition of “polite”
polite (pəˈlaɪt
)
Definitions
adjective
- showing regard for others, in manners, speech, behaviour, etc; courteous
- cultivated or refined ⇒
polite society
- elegant or polished ⇒
polite letters
Alternative Forms
poˈlitely adverb poˈliteness noun Word Origin
C15: from Latin polītus polished; see polish
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
=
mannerly,
civil,
courteous,
affable,
obliging,
gracious,
respectful,
well-behaved,
deferential,
complaisant,
well-mannered,
=
refined,
cultured,
civilized,
polished,
sophisticated,
elegant,
genteel,
urbane,
courtly,
well-bred,
Translations
- British English:
polite
A polite person has good manners and is not rude to other people....a quiet and very polite young man.pəˈlaɪt ADJECTIVE ...a quiet and very polite young man.
- Spanish:
cortés
adj
- French:
poli
adj
- German:
höflich
adj
- Chinese: 有礼貌的 adj
- Arabic: مُؤَدَّب adj
- Portuguese: educado adj educada
- Russian: вежливый adj вежливая
- Croatian: pristojan adj pristojna
- Czech: zvořilý adj
- Danish: høflig adj
- Dutch: beleefd adj
- Finnish: kohtelias adj
- Greek: ευγενικός adj ευγενική
- Italian: cortese adj
- Japanese: 丁寧な no_posp
- Korean: 정중한 adj
- Norwegian: høflig adj
- Polish: grzeczny adj grzeczna
- Brazilian Portuguese: educado adj educada
- European Spanish:
cortés
adj
- Swedish: artig adj artigt
- Thai: สุภาพ adj
- Turkish: kibar adj
- Vietnamese: lịch sự adj
Usage examples
Insulting Lucy's husband on their first meeting wouldn't be very polite at all.
Peter Robinson, AFTERMATH (2001)Remember that few people ever get shot for being too polite.
Maxim (2004)Boos aside, the meeting was a remarkably polite affair, in stark contrast to the vicious exchanges during a five-month proxy battle.
Irish Times (2002)Many Ulster folk are often too polite to put their thoughts into words - a great pity in itself.
Belfast Telegraph (2002)One wonders if they stumbled to polite applause or gave him a standing ovation.
Jane Brown, TALES OF THE ROSE TREE: Ravishing Rhododendrons and their Travels Around the World (2004)
