Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun Courteous formality; politeness.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun Politeness.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun Politeness.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun
Civility ,politeness ,courtesy orgallantry ; or an instance of this.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun courtesy towards women
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Lord Edward at once relieved the squaw of her pack by placing it upon his own shoulders, -- a beautiful instance of what the French call politesse de coeur -- the inbred politeness of the true gentleman.
Self help; with illustrations of conduct and perseverance Samuel Smiles 1858
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And with that she combined abuse of Republican politicians and the entire Washington establishment that tolerated their existence with her unique mix of affected aristocratic politesse and unblinking belligerence.
O: A Presidential Novel Anonymous 2011
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With trademark Asian politesse, Japan’s Finance Minister Jun Azumi let Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner know just what a problem Washington is creating for Tokyo, which relies on Iran for 10% of its oil needs.
Pepe Escobar: The Myth of “Isolated” Iran Pepe Escobar 2012
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Miss Conduct doesn't usually have occasion to discuss children's literature, it being a realm of impeccable manners and politesse.
Archive 2009-08-01 2009
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With trademark Asian politesse, Japan’s Finance Minister Jun Azumi let Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner know just what a problem Washington is creating for Tokyo, which relies on Iran for 10% of its oil needs.
Pepe Escobar: The Myth of “Isolated” Iran Pepe Escobar 2012
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Mr. Fumaroli agrees: The courtly way of life is his maquette for the spread of human happiness he never mentions that you had to have the standing and the old money to enjoy it: "Elegance, politesse and a new sweetness of manners . . . prefigured a world in which each man's freedom could accommodate the equality of all."
Why They All Came to Versailles Frederic Raphael 2011
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Miss Conduct doesn't usually have occasion to discuss children's literature, it being a realm of impeccable manners and politesse.
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And with that she combined abuse of Republican politicians and the entire Washington establishment that tolerated their existence with her unique mix of affected aristocratic politesse and unblinking belligerence.
O: A Presidential Novel Anonymous 2011
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To Robert Plant he was this absolutely elite gentleman, the master of serenity, as much at home with the backstage cavorting of Led Zeppelin as he was with the politesse of high society. . .
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With trademark Asian politesse, Japan’s Finance Minister Jun Azumi let Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner know just what a problem Washington is creating for Tokyo, which relies on Iran for 10% of its oil needs.
Pepe Escobar: The Myth of “Isolated” Iran Pepe Escobar 2012
john commented on the word politesse
“And to prepare for the role of Vito Corleone in ‘The Godfather,’ he ‘got himself invited to the home of a well-placed Mafioso in New Jersey,’ where at a dinner for some 40 people, he took mental notes on the ‘exaggerated politesse’ they showed to a stranger, the ‘manner in which powerful dons spoke in quiet voices; the way the men went out of their way to be gracious to their women, but also how they kept them in secondary roles.’�?
The New York Times, The Lion of the Screen, and What Made Him Roar, by Michiko Kakutani, December 8, 2008
December 9, 2008
Louises commented on the word politesse
She'd had the situation explained to her by Ellis, whom she said treated her with a sort of ludicrous medieval politesse. From "The Last Werewolf" by Glen Duncan.
March 23, 2012