polite

A2 Topic:Describing People

US /pəˈlaɪt/ See IPA manual

adj verb name Freq #4327

Meanings

1

adj
Behaving in a way that shows good manners and respect for others.

It's not polite to use a mobile phone in a restaurant.
2

adj
Showing refinement and good taste in manners and behaviour.

Such language is not used in polite company.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · behaving in a way that... civil

2 adj · showing refinement and good... civilized

More complaisant correct courteous cultivatedfair-manneredgenteel mannerly polished politic reasonable

Opposites

bad-manneredill-manneredimpolite rude

Word family

Forms politerpolitest

Derived forms nonpoliteover-politeoverpolitepolitefulpolitely politenesspolitesomesuperpoliteunpolite

Related forms friendly kindly polish

Common collocations

polite applause Adjective + noun

Etymology

From Latin polītus (“polished”), past participle of poliō (“to polish, smooth”); see polish.

*pel- (beat) Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing People

# polite

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj, verb, name
**IPA (US):** pəˈlaɪt
**Frequency rank:** 4327

## Meanings
1. Behaving in a way that shows good manners and respect for others.
2. Showing refinement and good taste in manners and behaviour.

## Examples
- It's not polite to use a mobile phone in a restaurant.
- Such language is not used in polite company.

## Synonyms
- civil
- civilized
- complaisant
- correct
- courteous
- cultivated
- fair-mannered
- genteel
- mannerly
- polished
- politic
- reasonable

## Antonyms
- bad-mannered
- ill-mannered
- impolite
- rude

## Derived Forms
- nonpolite
- over-polite
- overpolite
- politeful
- politely
- politeness
- politesome
- superpolite
- unpolite

## Related Forms
- friendly
- kindly
- polish

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *pel- (beat)

## Etymology
From Latin polītus (“polished”), past participle of poliō (“to polish, smooth”); see polish.

## AI Etymology
Polite comes from Latin polītus (“polished”), past participle of poliō (“to polish, smooth”); see polish. The historical chain includes *pel- (beat) (Proto-Indo-European). In present-day English it covers behaving in a way that shows good manners and respect for others and showing refinement and good taste in manners and behaviour. The wider family includes derived forms such as nonpolite, over-polite, overpolite, politeful, politely and related forms such as friendly, kindly, polish.

## Topics
- Describing People

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polite

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