urbane
Americanadjective
-
having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities.
an urbane manner.
- Synonyms:
- cosmopolitan, suave
-
reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., especially in expression.
He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of urbane
1525–35; (< Middle French urbain ) < Latin urbānus ( see urban; for difference in stress and second syllable cf. human, humane)
Explanation
Urbane people are sophisticated, polished, cultured, refined. Spend enough time in an urban setting–-going to concerts and museums, spending time in crowds––and you'll be urbane too. Both urbane and urban derive from the Latin urbanus, "city," but while urban has connotations of gritty living and crime, urbane assumes that everyone sees the city from the roof deck of their penthouse apartment, drinking champagne and exchanging bon mots with friends. Add a Cole Porter soundtrack and the image is complete.
Vocabulary lists containing urbane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He was also drawn to “more uptown, the more urbane, the more sophisticated” comedies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026
A slight figure in neat shirts and jackets, Magyar seemed too slick and urbane to reach the hearts of the rural electorate, but has proven himself a strong challenger.
From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026
The vibe inside—serene, understated, urbane, embracing Zen-centric design principles and mass-class materials—hasn’t and doesn’t change much, from car to car.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026
Off court he is urbane and thoughtful, and able to speak fluently in a number of languages.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
His activism surprised Ifemelu—he seemed a little too urbane, a little too cool, to be in the students' union government—but also impressed her.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
