pleasantry

American  

[plez-uhn-tree] / ˈplɛz ən tri /

noun

• pleasantries
  plural

1. good-humored teasing; banter.

2. a humorous or jesting remark.

3. a courteous social remark used to initiate or facilitate a conversation.

   to exchange pleasantries.

4. a humorous action.

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pleasantry British  

/ ˈplɛzəntrɪ /

noun

1. (often plural) an agreeable or amusing remark, often one made in order to be polite

   they exchanged pleasantries

2. an agreeably humorous manner or style

3. rare enjoyment; pleasantness

   a pleasantry of life

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• pleasantries
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of pleasantry

1645–55; < French plaisanterie, Old French plesanterie. See pleasant, -ry

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Explanation

“It’s so nice to see you.” “Nice weather, yes?” “You look great in that frog costume.” Each of the last three sentences is a pleasantry, a warm and kind-hearted bit of small talk. It’s no accident that the word pleasant is inside pleasantry, since a pleasantry is a simple, polite, and pleasant remark made in a conversation. Pleasantries aren’t that deep — talking about politics or religion might be outside the pleasantry range, but some good-humored chatting never hurt anyone. You might say some pleasantries to a passerby on the street, when you are introduced to someone new, or if your grandmother asks you a question about your dating life.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pleasantry pleasantries

It’s unclear if this is a plea or a pleasantry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026

Suddenly things that seem kind of nice because they are little dashes of pleasantry in what may be an otherwise sterile work environment are relatively banal in the context of working from home.

From New York Times ● Apr. 14, 2022

Still, there’s no denying that there’s an undercurrent of pleasantry throughout the festival.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2019

Murray seemed embarrassed, mumbled some pleasantry, then turned away.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 6, 2019

“Ah! continue. A little pleasantry on my part, that is all. So you went along to Madame la Princesse. And what did you do when you got there?”

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

But besides pleasantries, both measured their words carefully about the cooperation between Ukraine and Russia during the Oleshky truce, and beyond.

From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026

Just days later, despite the in-person pleasantries, Maher and Trump soon returned to their old routines.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026

After more than a decade of public feuding and false starts, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua exchanged pleasantries, traded jokes and even discussed going for a pint at a news conference in London.

From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026

The Dodgers’ newest star arrived Sunday and was in the Dodgers’ dugout during the game, exchanging pleasantries with his new teammates and coaches.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

You exchanged pleasantries and the key, which he used to let him-self out and then placed back in the bucket for you to pull up with the rope.

From "Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing" by Ted Conover

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Related Words

• repartee
• witticism

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