Urbanity

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əːˈbæn.ɪ.ti/

Definitions

1. The quality of sophisticated manners and gracious behavior in social situations is often attributed to urban lifestyles
2. The characteristic of displaying cultured manners and polite, elegant behavior typical of city dwellers
3. Possessing polished and courteous conduct that reflects a well-bred and cosmopolitan background

Etymology: Urbanity began life as a judgment about where people lived. In Classical Latin, "urbānitās" meant the refined manners of townspeople, set against the supposedly rougher habits of the countryside. The root is "urbs", the city, which is also the source of the English word "urban". The Latin sense was never simply politeness; it implied the wit and polish that city life was thought to cultivate. The word passed into Middle French as "urbanité" and then into Middle English as "urbanitie". Its meaning stayed close to its roots for centuries: it named courtesy and smooth sophistication, the easy grace of someone at home in society. The English word "urbane", meaning suave and courteous, came from the same Latin adjective, "urbānus", and "urbanity" was formed from that base with the suffix "-ity". The result is a word with two faces that English keeps apart. "Urban" describes the physical city, while "urbanity" describes the social polish that the city was once believed to produce.

Synonyms: sophistication, politeness, refinement

Antonyms: rudeness, boorishness