impolite

American  

[im-puh-lahyt] / ˌɪm pəˈlaɪt /

adjective

1. not polite or courteous; discourteous; rude.

   an impolite reply.

   Synonyms:

   rough, ill-mannered, boorish, insolent, uncivil, disrespectful

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impolite British  

/ ˌɪmpəˈlaɪt /

adjective

1. discourteous; rude; uncivil

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Other Word Forms

• impoliteness
  noun
• impolitely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of impolite

First recorded in 1605–15, impolite is from the Latin word impolītus rough, unpolished. See im- ², polite

Explanation

If you're impolite, you have terrible manners: you're rude. Small children whose parents teach them not to be impolite learn early to say "please" and "thank you." Acting disrespectful or ungracious is impolite, like when your impolite sister helps herself to the birthday cake you just made for your dad, or pushes in front of other people in line for a movie. The opposite of impolite is polite, which comes from the Latin word politus, figuratively meaning "refined or elegant," and literally, "polished." When you add the im-, you get the sense of "not" or "the opposite of."

Related Words

• boorish
• disrespectful
• rude