polite

A2 Topic:Describing People

US /pəˈlaɪt/ See IPA manual

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

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

polite applause
restrained clapping given out of courtesy rather than genuine enthusiasm

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Polite comes from Latin politus, meaning “polished” or “made smooth.” English initially used it in the literal sense “polished,” but around 1500 the idea of careful refinement was transferred to speech and behavior.

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

External links

# polite

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** adj
**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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