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.
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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.
Off court he is urbane and thoughtful, and able to speak fluently in a number of languages.
From Barron's ● Jan. 31, 2026
His elegant and urbane Oedipus, a politician on the cusp of a momentous victory, prides himself on not playing by the old rules.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2025
Born Jyoti in a village in India, she assumes the more urbane name Jasmine at age 15.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2025
After Boose cruised through “12 to 12,” Sombr’s urbane, disco-funky single, Boose leaped into the hotel’s turquoise pool.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2025
He hated the chaplain venomously for being a chaplain and making a coarse blunder out of an observation that in any other circumstances, he knew, would have been considered witty and urbane.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
