English → Latin
“polite” in Latin
urbānusof or belonging to a city; urban; fond of, or devoted to cities; cultivated, sophisticated, polished, refinedaffābilisthat can be easily spoken to or accessed; affable, courteous, kind, friendlycomaThe hair of the head.; foliage, ears, blades, stalks of trees, grass (as though resembling hair)blanduspleasant, agreeable; enticing, seductive, alluring; persuasivecīvīliscivic, civil (of or pertaining to citizens); public, political (of or pertaining to public or political life); courteousbenignuskind, good, friendly, pleasant; beneficent, obliging, bounteous; favorable, mild
The English word polite itself goes back to Latin poliō, through polītus.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
polite
urbanus: affabilis: comis: blandus: civilis: benignus. SYN. in CIVIL.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for polite?
- The usual Latin words for “polite” are urbānus, affābilis, coma; also blandus, cīvīlis, benignus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.