noun
politesse
Politesse (noun) means Formal, refined politeness, or an act showing it.
noun
1
Formal, refined politeness, or an act showing it.
"The reference in his letter to ‘having a drink’ is of course just an empty politesse."
— Iris Murdoch, The Sea (1978)
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like politesse.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
Comes from French politesse, from Italian politezza, from polito, the past participle of pulire (“to clean”), from Latin polire, the present active infinitive form of poliō (“to polish”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for politesse
See all rhymes for politesse →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of politesse?
"politesse" (noun) means formal, refined politeness, or an act showing it.
What is another word for politesse?
Other words for "politesse" include gallantry, chivalry.
