definitions

suavity

[ swah-vi-tee, swav-i- ]
/ ˈswɑ vɪ ti, ˈswæv ɪ- /
||
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR suavity ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural suav·i·ties.

a suave or smoothly agreeable quality.
suavities, suave or courteous actions or manners; amenities.

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RELATED WORDS

civility, kindness, charm, culture, refinement

Nearby words

suakin, suas, suasion, suave, suaviter in modo, fortiter in re, suavity, sub, sub judice, sub rosa, sub verbo, sub voce
Also suave·ness.

Origin of suavity

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin suāvitās pleasantness, equivalent to suāv(is) sweet + -itās -ity

Definition for suaveness (2 of 2)

suave

[ swahv ]
/ swɑv /

adjective, suav·er, suav·est.

(of persons or their manner, speech, etc.) smoothly agreeable or polite; agreeably or blandly urbane.

Origin of suave

1495–1505; < French < Latin suāvis sweet

Related forms

suave·ly, adverbsuave·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for suaveness

  • Yet, at the same time, his mood had a charming reality—the suaveness of Andrs Escobar.

    The Bright Shawl|Joseph Hergesheimer

  • Gone was the suaveness, the customary polite mockery; it was frank, open, genuinely pleasant.

    The Passing of Ku Sui|Anthony Gilmore

  • You see, he is a particularly obnoxious specimen of his race; all suaveness, treachery, and remorseless energy.

    The Secret House|Edgar Wallace

  • There was none of the suaveness, the delicate responsiveness of her late host at Porchester House.

    Peter Ruff and the Double Four|E. Phillips Oppenheim

British Dictionary definitions for suaveness

suave

/ (swɑːv) /

adjective

(esp of a man) displaying smoothness and sophistication in manner or attitude; urbane

Derived Forms

suavely, adverbsuavity (ˈswɑːvɪtɪ) or suaveness, noun

Word Origin for suave

C16: from Latin suāvis sweet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012