Synonyms

polite

American

[puh-lahyt] / pəˈlaɪt /

adjective

politer, politest

showing good manners toward others, as in behavior, speech, etc.; courteous; civil.

a polite reply.

Synonyms:

gracious, well-bred

Antonyms:

rude
refined or cultured.

polite society.

Synonyms:

cultivated, courtly, poised, polished, urbane
of a refined or elegant kind.

polite learning.

polite British

/ pəˈlaɪt /

adjective

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

polite society
elegant or polished

polite letters

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See civil.

Other Word Forms

politely adverb
politeness noun
superpolite adjective
superpoliteness noun

Etymology

Origin of polite

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin polītus, past participle of polīre “to polish”; polish

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"We spoke to people at the flat, who knew him. They described him as a very polite individual and an intelligent person."

From BBC

When Andie defends herself from the girls bullying her in her gym class and gets sent to the principal’s office for it, she refuses to offer a polite apology.

From Salon

He was polite and responsive, giving adequate answers to my questions but rarely returning the inquiry.

From Los Angeles Times

Did the team ask good questions or slide into polite agreement?

From The Wall Street Journal

He wasn’t only smart, he was very polite, too.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023