politesse

From the French politesse, from the Italian politezza, from polito, past participle of pulire (“to polish”, “to clean”), from the Latin polire, present active infinite form of poliō (“I polish”, “I smooth”).

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pɒlɪˈtɛs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /pɑləˈtɛs/

politesse (countable and uncountable, plural politesses)

1. Civility, politeness, courtesy or gallantry; or an instance of this.
   • 1978, Iris Murdoch, The Sea, The Sea, Vintage 1999, pp. 56-7:

     The reference in his letter to ‘having a drink’ is of course just an empty politesse.

   • 2011, Thomas Penn, Winter King, Penguin 2012, p. 7:

     The soft politesse concealed a sharp observer, a gleaner of information, cool under pressure and used to having to think several steps ahead […]

From Italian politezza.

• IPA^(key): /pɔ.li.tɛs/

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politesse f (plural politesses)

1. politeness, courtesy

   Antonym: impolitesse

2. polite remark/action

• poli

• “politesse” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).