cordiality

American  

[kawr-jal-i-tee, kawr-jee-al-, -dee-al-] / kɔrˈdʒæl ɪ ti, ˌkɔr dʒiˈæl-, -diˈæl- /

noun

• cordialities
  plural

1. cordial quality or feeling.

   Synonyms:

   heartiness, geniality, friendliness, warmth

2. an expression of cordial feeling.

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cordiality British  

/ ˌkɔːdɪˈælɪtɪ /

noun

1. warmth of feeling

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Usage

What does cordiality mean? Cordiality is the quality of being cordial—friendly and polite. Cordial is used to describe people and their behavior toward others in social situations, especially when they do not know each other well. A cordial greeting is a warm and friendly one, especially one intended to make someone feel welcome. When you treat people with cordiality, you treat them with a sincere friendliness and warmth. Example: Even when I don’t like my coworkers, I try to treat them with cordiality. 

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• uncordiality
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cordialities
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cordiality

First recorded in 1590–1600; cordial + -ity

Explanation

Cordiality is a characteristic of being friendly and agreeable. Your habit of smiling and saying hello to everyone you pass on the street is evidence of your cordiality. People who show cordiality are polite, kind, and pleasant, but the word implies a bit of reserve: you might appreciate the cordiality among the employees at your after-school job, but your relationships with your closest friends and family are characterized by an emotion deeper than cordiality. At the root of cordiality is the Latin word cor, or "heart."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cordiality cordialities

The spat caused unease in a country with a tradition of political cordiality, even between ideological foes.

From Barron's ● Mar. 11, 2026

But everyone is going through something difficult in “Cordially,” and the lack of, well, cordiality can be wearying.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 16, 2025

The new cordiality was on display on Wednesday when Mr. McCarthy and Mr. Jeffries were spotted exiting the speaker’s office while engaged in a friendly and businesslike discussion.

From Washington Times ● Feb. 8, 2023

After the meeting, Chinese and U.S. officials highlighted the cordiality of proceedings in a sign it could help open the door to more communication between the two militaries.

From Reuters ● Jun. 10, 2022

“Mind if I sit down a minute?” the young man asked, with what seemed to be unlimited cordiality.

From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger

Silicon Valley is generally considered to have a laid back Californian culture, but behind all of the polite cordialities, there rests a necessary cutthroat attitude.

From Salon ● Mar. 16, 2015

After brief cordialities, Tenet got down to business.

From Time Magazine Archive

Then the visit is exchanged between friends whom perhaps the departed year had somewhat alienated; old associations are revived, and cordialities that had well nigh been forgotten are strengthened and renewed.

From The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine, January 1844 Volume 23, Number 1 by Various

Field had been civil, respectful, but utterly uncommunicative in his replies to the captain's repeated cordialities.

From A Daughter of the Sioux A Tale of the Indian frontier by Edwin Willard Deming

The two friends found themselves the object of one of those sudden cordialities that open all doors, even the most difficult, and run like a warm wave through London society.

From Lady Merton, Colonist by Mrs. Humphry Ward

Related Words

• reciprocity
• sincerity