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.

---

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.

---

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

---

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

---

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

---

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

Explanation

When you polish something, you rub and buff it until it shines. You might need to polish your reading glasses from time to time. You might polish your wooden coffee table with a cloth or polish beach stones until they gleam. Polish is also a noun, meaning either the spray you use to shine up your furniture or the shininess itself: "The polish on that desk is unbelievable — I can almost see my reflection in it!" There is also a figurative kind of polish, a sort of elegance or clarity you might see in well-edited writing or a fashionable woman sliding into a taxi.

Example Sentences

For all of his polish and shrewd instincts, he is still a relative newcomer to the world of international relations.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

They worried about college admissions and which shade of polish to choose at the nail salon.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

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

Ethanolamine provided the desired conductivity and worked well within the polish, but it has some toxicity concerns.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

I ran upstairs to grab polish remover out my kit.

From "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany D. Jackson