Polite
Pronunciation
- IPA: /pəˈlaɪt/
Origin
From Latin politus ("polished"), past participle of polire ("to polish"); see polish.
Full definition of polite
Adjective
polite
- Well-mannered, civilized.
- Alexander PopeHe marries, bows at court, and grows polite.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 4, I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite.
- It's not polite to use a mobile phone in a restaurant.
- (obsolete) Smooth, polished, burnished.
- Isaac Newtonrays of light falling on a polite surface
Usage notes
The one-word comparative form politer and superlative form politest exist, but are less common than their two-word counterparts more polite and most polite.