Make Your Point > Archived Issues > POLITESSE
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pronounce
POLITESSE:
Say it "POLL uh TESS."
To hear it, click here.
connect this word to others:
Let's say you're at a party and you want want to dance with your friend Inara, but she's there with her super-possessive boyfriend, a stuck-up bozo. How do you get him to back off so you can dance with her?
You say to this bozo, "Inara has spoken of you to me. She made a point of your generosity. Given that, I'm sure you won't mind if I ask Inara the favor of a dance."
Well done, you!
Check out your suaveness.
Your civility.
Your politeness.
Your ur___ity (your elegance and sophistication).
Your sa____-f____ (your understanding of what you must say and do in social situations).
Your politesse.
(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)
definition:
"Politesse" traces back through French and Italian to the Latin politus, meaning "polite," and further back to polire, "to make smooth: to polish."
So, in English, "politesse" is a formal word for "politeness," "etiquette," or "proper manners."
In other words, politesse is the quality of speaking or behaving with excellent, polished manners.
grammatical bits:
Part of speech:
Noun, the uncountable kind: "He's known for his flawless politesse;" "Now is the time for straight talk, not politesse."
Other forms:
None.
how to use it:
Pick the formal, sophisticated, somewhat rare word "politesse" when you want to emphasize how someone's politeness seems especially in tune with social expectations.
Talk about a person's politesse, or about the politesse of a certain group, society, novel, show, film, album, etc. Here's the L. A. Times: "Mathis presents himself with the politesse of a bygone era."
Or, say that some situation requires politesse. Here's the New York Times: "The career of a high-wattage soloist demands... politesse: pressing the flesh, dining with patrons, smiling at audiences."
examples:
"Lou is a well-spoken young man, and a high-functioning career professional, fluent in the mannerisms of old-school Texas politesse, never neglecting to touch his Stetson as he passes a lady on the street."
— Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian, 3 June 2010
"A highly vaunted 'interview' with the Daily Mail on the fiftieth anniversary of [To Kill a Mockingbird] consisted of [its author Harper Lee] thanking the reporter and saying, 'We are just going to feed the ducks but call me the next time you are here. We have a lot of history here. You will enjoy it.' Translated from Southern politesse, that gracious dismissal might be rendered as 'Don't let the door hit you on your way out.'"
— Margaret Eby, Salon, 27 September 2015
has this page helped you understand "politesse"?
study it:
Explain the meaning of "politesse" without saying "social grace" or "refined manners."
try it out:
Check out this figurative example from the Washington Post:
"He dressed nicely, he performed with excellent posture, and he struck his drums with a politesse that somehow made the music of the Rolling Stones feel exponentially rude."
What do you think that means? The way I understand it is that this drummer plays in accordance with all the idioms or traditions expected of a drummer. And, his drumming is tidy. Or timely, I guess we should say.
Create your own figurative example: Who's a person who performs or creates with politesse? How does this person seem to adhere to tradition or expectation?
before you review, play:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
Our game this month is Crossword Clues: Defining by Rhyming!
Check out the given term, and try to complete the definition by supplying a missing rhyming word. For example, if I give you "bevy = _ _ _ _ herd," then you give me "bird," because a bevy is a bird herd. To peek at the answer, scroll all the way down. Enjoy!
aphorism = staying _ _ _ _ _ _
review this word:
A. DIABLERIE: wild playfulness or devilishness.
B. GAUCHERIE: behavior that's awkward, tactless, or crude.
C. CAMARADERIE: a spirit of loyal, fun, easy friendship in a group of people.
2.
A New York Times writer described movie characters who seem to "bust through walls of politesse to bring _____ to the surface."
A. scientific facts
B. inconvenient truths
C. dazzling conversations
a final word:
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From my blog:
On vocabulary...
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
On writing...
How to improve any sentence.
How to motivate our kids to write.
How to stop procrastinating and start writing.
How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count.
From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Let's say you're at a party and you want want to dance with your friend Inara, but she's there with her super-possessive boyfriend, a stuck-up bozo. How do you get him to back off so you can dance with her?
"Politesse" traces back through French and Italian to the Latin politus, meaning "polite," and further back to polire, "to make smooth: to polish."
Part of speech:
Pick the formal, sophisticated, somewhat rare word "politesse" when you want to emphasize how someone's politeness seems especially in tune with social expectations.
"Lou is a well-spoken young man, and a high-functioning career professional, fluent in the mannerisms of old-school Texas politesse, never neglecting to touch his Stetson as he passes a lady on the street."
Explain the meaning of "politesse" without saying "social grace" or "refined manners."
Check out this figurative example from the Washington Post:
Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.
I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |