mannerly

American  

[man-er-lee] / ˈmæn ər li /

adjective

1. having or showing good manners; courteous; polite.

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adverb

1. with good manners; courteously; politely.

mannerly British  

/ ˈmænəlɪ /

adjective

1. well-mannered; polite; courteous

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adverb

1. rare with good manners; politely; courteously

Other Word Forms

• mannerliness noun

Etymology

Origin of mannerly

First recorded in 1325–75, mannerly is from the Middle English word manerly. See manner ¹, -ly

Explanation

If you're mannerly, you're extremely well-behaved and polite. You might be so mannerly at your best friend's house that your parents wouldn't even recognize you! Mannerly is another way to say "well-mannered." If you're mannerly, your manners are impeccable — you follow all the appropriate rules of etiquette. While mannerly people keep their elbows off the table and their napkins in their laps, people who are not mannerly might talk loudly with their mouths full or eat off their neighbors' plates.

Example Sentences

Belorusets also captures the mannerly, unflappable side of Kyiv.

From New York Times • Mar. 6, 2023

Whedon told New York magazine he was "not mannerly" with Carpenter when she told him she was pregnant, but denied having ever called her fat.

From BBC • Jan. 18, 2022

Playing without fans in August likely contributed to the mannerly game, the Rave Green preparing to do the same Sunday when Portland visits CenturyLink Field.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 5, 2020

Today’s barbarians are well-suited, mannerly and astute, especially at shrewdly gauging the ebbs and flows of digital capitalism.

From Salon • Jan. 29, 2019

The only interesting part, but it’s not worth going through forty-four pages for, is that Prince Humperdinck gets more and more interested and mannerly toward Buttercup, cutting down even a little on his hunting activities.

From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman