polish

¹ American  

[pol-ish] / ˈpɒl ɪʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to make smooth and glossy, especially by rubbing or friction.

   to polish a brass doorknob.

   Synonyms:

   smooth, buff, burnish, brighten, shine

2. to render finished, refined, or elegant.

   His speech needs polishing.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become smooth and glossy through polishing.

   a flooring that polishes easily.

2. Archaic. to become refined or elegant.

noun

1. a substance used to give smoothness or gloss.

   shoe polish.

2. the act of polishing.

3. state of being polished.

4. smoothness and gloss of surface.

   Synonyms:

   gleam, shine

5. superiority of manner or execution; refinement; elegance.

   the polish of a professional singer.

verb phrase

1. polish up to improve; refine.

   She took lessons to polish up her speech.

2. polish off

   1. to finish or dispose of quickly.

      They polished off a gallon of ice cream between them.

   2. to subdue or get rid of someone.

      The fighter polished off his opponent in the first round.

Polish ² American  

[poh-lish] / ˈpoʊ lɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, its inhabitants, or their language.

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noun

1. a Slavic language, the principal language of Poland. Pol

polish ¹ British  

/ ˈpɒlɪʃ /

verb

1. to make or become smooth and shiny by rubbing, esp with wax or an abrasive

2. (tr) to make perfect or complete

3. to make or become elegant or refined

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noun

1. a finish or gloss

2. the act of polishing or the condition of having been polished

3. a substance used to produce a smooth and shiny, often protective surface

4. elegance or refinement, esp in style, manner, etc

Polish ² British  

/ ˈpəʊlɪʃ /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, its people, or their language

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noun

1. the official language of Poland, belonging to the West Slavonic branch of the Indo-European family

polish Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing polish

• spit and polish

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Related Words

Polish, gloss, luster, sheen refer to a smooth, shining, or bright surface from which light is reflected. Polish suggests the smooth, bright reflection often produced by friction: rubbed to a high polish. Gloss suggests a superficial, hard smoothness characteristic of lacquered, varnished, or enameled surfaces: a gloss on oilcloth, on paper. Luster denotes the characteristic quality of the light reflected from the surfaces of certain materials (pearls, silk, wax, freshly cut metals, etc.): a pearly luster. Sheen, sometimes poetical, suggests a glistening brightness such as that reflected from the surface of silk or velvet, or from furniture oiled and hand-polished: a rich velvety sheen.

Other Word Forms

• anti-Polish noun
• depolish verb (used with object)
• interpolish verb (used with object)
• non-Polish adjective
• overpolish verb (used with object)
• polishable adjective
• polisher noun
• pre-Polish adjective
• prepolish noun
• pro-Polish adjective
• pseudo-Polish adjective
• repolish verb

Etymology

Origin of polish¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English polishen, from Middle French poliss-, long stem of polir, from Latin polīre “to polish”; -ish ²

Origin of Polish²

First recorded in 1695–1705; Pole + -ish ¹

Example Sentences

Ortiz says an Arlington police detective called him and asked what fingernail polish Cynthia had been wearing when she disappeared.

From Slate • Apr. 6, 2026

Desai and Lawrence aimed to create a polish that remains clear while also being safe for both users and manufacturers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The stage puts a spotlight on smack-talk skills, functioning like a gym where wrestlers work out their character muscles, polish their submission holds and perfect their trash-talking chops in front of a panel of judges.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

A high level of studio professionalism and polish can be found throughout, but most of the songwriting doesn’t meet that same standard.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 3, 2026

I dropped my backpack in a room with my dad that smelled like furniture polish and lemon candies and decided to hike down the sidewalk for a side-by-side comparison of the accommodations.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen