What does "polite" mean?
Polite: Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil. He marries, bows at court, and grows polite. Pope.
Additional senses
- 2.Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature. Macaulay.
- 3.To polish; to refine; to render polite. [Obs.] Ray.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17 · Modified: 2026-07-17