politesse

noun

po·li·tesse ˌpä-li-ˈtes How to pronounce politesse (audio)

ˌpȯ-

: formal politeness : decorousness

Did you know?

Nowadays, no one refers to a "polite" looking glass or houses "polite" and in good repair, but polite (or polit or polyt, as it was spelled in Middle English) originally meant simply "polished" or "clean." By the early 1600s, polite was being used of polished and refined people, and politeness had been penned to name the shining quality of such people. Politesse (a French borrowing) debuted in the late 17th century. All three words stem from Latin polire, which means "to polish" (and which is, by way of the Anglo-French stem poliss-, an ancestor of the English polish). Today we tend to use politeness for everyday good manners and reserve politesse for more formal courtesies.

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The avatars onscreen were often just rectangles or blobs, and the concepts had to stay within the bounds of dinner-table politesse.

Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2021 The politesse recommended by Attlee, Bevin, and others had gained the American Jews almost nothing.

Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2020 But Peck is just as much the keeper of the flame of the precision postmodernists like William H. Gass, another Midwesterner who had a way with metaphor and a burning fury against politesse.

Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2019 With flattery and French politesse, President Emmanuel Macron delicately maneuvered around Trump, partly by playing to the President’s ego.

Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2019 The responses are eye-opening, but do not necessarily represent the gold standard of politesse.

Ajc Homepage, ajc, 24 Nov. 2017 The Trump Administration has the right idea, even if the President’s words lack the usual diplomatic politesse.

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2017 Apparently, the T & T squad didn’t want to burn some of that politesse and reciprocity with the Sounders.

Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times, 27 Aug. 2017 Black demonstrators protesting the murder of teen-agers are met with tanks and riot gear; white demonstrators protesting the unpopularity of Nazi and Confederate ideology are met with politesse.

Longreads, 15 Aug. 2017 See More

单词	politesse
释义	politesse noun po·li·tesse ˌpä-li-ˈtes ˌpȯ- : formal politeness : decorousness Did you know? Nowadays, no one refers to a "polite" looking glass or houses "polite" and in good repair, but polite (or polit or polyt, as it was spelled in Middle English) originally meant simply "polished" or "clean." By the early 1600s, polite was being used of polished and refined people, and politeness had been penned to name the shining quality of such people. Politesse (a French borrowing) debuted in the late 17th century. All three words stem from Latin polire, which means "to polish" (and which is, by way of the Anglo-French stem poliss-, an ancestor of the English polish). Today we tend to use politeness for everyday good manners and reserve politesse for more formal courtesies. Example Sentences Recent Examples on the Web The avatars onscreen were often just rectangles or blobs, and the concepts had to stay within the bounds of dinner-table politesse. Neima Jahromi, The New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2021 The politesse recommended by Attlee, Bevin, and others had gained the American Jews almost nothing. Amy Davidson Sorkin, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2020 But Peck is just as much the keeper of the flame of the precision postmodernists like William H. Gass, another Midwesterner who had a way with metaphor and a burning fury against politesse. Mark Athitakis, Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2019 With flattery and French politesse, President Emmanuel Macron delicately maneuvered around Trump, partly by playing to the President’s ego. Robin Wright, The New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2019 The responses are eye-opening, but do not necessarily represent the gold standard of politesse. Ajc Homepage, ajc, 24 Nov. 2017 The Trump Administration has the right idea, even if the President’s words lack the usual diplomatic politesse. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 9 Aug. 2017 Apparently, the T & T squad didn’t want to burn some of that politesse and reciprocity with the Sounders. Geoff Baker, The Seattle Times, 27 Aug. 2017 Black demonstrators protesting the murder of teen-agers are met with tanks and riot gear; white demonstrators protesting the unpopularity of Nazi and Confederate ideology are met with politesse. Longreads, 15 Aug. 2017 See More Word History Etymology French, from Middle French, cleanness, from Old Italian pulitezza, from pulito, past participle of pulire to polish, clean, from Latin polire First Known Use 1683, in the meaning defined above politesse noun as in politeness Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance politeness gentility civility etiquette graciousness courteousness gentilesse decorum courtesy dignity decency refinement grace propriety prudence seemliness mannerliness discretion correctness correctitude appropriateness attentiveness rightness morality virtue fitness carefulness virtuousness rectitude probity goodness form integrity honesty attention straightness uprightness righteousness high-mindedness decorousness care honor character Antonyms & Near Antonyms impropriety coarseness crudeness vulgarity indecency discourtesy incivility indecorum gracelessness impoliteness indiscretion imprudence evil badness immorality degradation wickedness perversion dishonesty degeneracy depravity debauchery crookedness unscrupulousness underhandedness See More
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politesse

noun

Did you know?

Example Sentences

Word History

noun