Dictionary

politeness en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /pəˈləɪʔnəs/ Dublin
• /pəˈlaɪtnəs/
• /pəˈlo̞ɪʔnəs/ Dublin
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree English polite Proto-Germanic *-in- Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *-inōną Proto-Indo-European *-dyé- Proto-Germanic *-atjaną Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Germanic *-þuz Proto-Germanic *-assuz Proto-Germanic *-inassuz Proto-West Germanic *-nassī Old English -nes Middle English -nesse English -ness English politeness From polite + -ness.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The quality of being polite.
   • At school, where politeness is not one of the compulsory subjects, I was "Pup", "Puggy", "Ki-ki", "Balcombe Beauty", "Snarleywow", and other shafts of endearment. I was not petted. 1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados Mysteries:
2. (countable, usually) A polite act.
   • These politenesses left Miss Marley floundering for initiative, holding Jasper and being solemnly inspected by Podson, who clearly depended on her the convention of an afternoon call. 1938, Norman Lindsay, Age of Consent, 1st Australian edition, Sydney, N.S.W.: Ure Smith, published 1962, →OCLC, page 145:

Forms

Antonyms

impoliteness (antonym(s) of “act or quality of being polite”) · rudeness (antonym(s) of “act or quality of being polite”)

Deriveds

superpoliteness

Synonyms

courtliness (quality of being polite) · civility (an act of being polite) · courtesy (quality of being polite) · grace (quality of being polite) · civility (quality of being polite) · etiquette (quality of being polite) · courtesy (an act of being polite)

Translations (91)

de Höflichkeit (act of being polite) · sv hövlighet (act of being polite) · ru учти́вость (act of being polite) · th ความสุภาพ (act of being polite) · he אֲדִיבוּת (act of being polite) · hi नज़ाकत (act of being polite) · tr kibarlık (act of being polite) · tk sypaýçylyk (act of being polite) · vi sự lịch sự (act of being polite) · uz xushmuomalalik (act of being polite) · mk учтивост (act of being polite) · yue 禮貌 /礼貌 (act of being polite) · et viisakus (act of being polite) · ja 礼儀正しさ (act of being polite) · pt polidez (act of being polite) · es educación (act of being polite) · it cortesia (act of being polite) · fr politesse (act of being polite) · hi शिष्टता (act of being polite) · bg ве́жливост (act of being polite) · lt mandagumas (act of being polite) · hu udvariasság (act of being polite) · eo ĝentilaĵo (act of being polite) · hy քաղաքավարություն (act of being polite) · uk ґре́чність (act of being polite) · pl uprzejmość (act of being polite) · ko 공손 (act of being polite) · uz nazokat (act of being polite) · bg учти́вост (act of being polite) · ur ادب (act of being polite) · kk сыпайылық (act of being polite) · pt educação (act of being polite) · ro politețe (act of being polite) · lv pieklājība (act of being polite) · is kurteisi (act of being polite) · gd modh (act of being polite) · da høflighed (act of being polite) · fa نزاکت (act of being polite) · he נִימוּס (act of being polite) · nb høflighet (act of being polite) · uz adab (act of being polite) · cs zdvořilost (act of being polite) · fi kohteliaisuus (act of being polite) · pl grzeczność (act of being polite) · my ယဉ်ကျေးမှု (act of being polite) · tg одоб (act of being polite) · ja 丁寧さ (act of being polite) · la cōmitās (act of being polite) · fa ادب (act of being polite) · sh ùčtivōst (act of being polite) · es cortesía (act of being polite) · ru ве́жливость (act of being polite) · hi अदब (act of being polite) · kk әдептілік (act of being polite) · lb Héiflechkeet (act of being polite) · ky сылыктык (act of being polite) · uk че́мність (act of being polite) · pl kurtuazja (act of being polite) · nl hoffelijkheid (act of being polite) · tr nezaket (act of being polite) · ko 례의 (act of being polite) · ro civilitate (act of being polite) · sh ùljudnōst (act of being polite) · te సభ్యత (act of being polite) · az nəzakət (act of being polite) · eo ĝentileco (quality of being polite) · el ευγένεια (act of being polite) · ca educació cortesia (act of being polite) · ko 공손함 (act of being polite) · uk вві́чливість (act of being polite) · cmn 禮貌 /礼貌 (act of being polite) · be ве́тлівасць (act of being polite) · tr incelik (act of being polite) · ky адептүүлүк (act of being polite) · sq mirësjellje (act of being polite) · cmn 客氣 /客气 (act of being polite) · ko 예의 (act of being polite) · tg назокат (act of being polite) · hi सभ्यता (act of being polite) · nl beleefdheid (act of being polite) · ur نزاکت (act of being polite) · ota نازكلك (act of being polite) · sv artighet (act of being polite) · sh у̀чтиво̄ст (act of being polite) · sh у̀људно̄ст (act of being polite) · ka ზრდილობა (act of being polite) · sk zdvorilosť (act of being polite) · be ве́тласць (act of being polite) · ar أَدَب (act of being polite) · sl vljudnost (act of being polite) · ro amabilitate (act of being polite)