urbane

[ ur-beyn ]

adjective

1. having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities:

   an urbane manner.

   Synonyms: cosmopolitan, suave

2. reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., especially in expression:

   He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.

urbane

/ ɜːˈbeɪn /

adjective

1. characterized by elegance or sophistication

Derived Forms

• urˈbaneness, noun
• urˈbanely, adverb

Other Words From

• ur·banely adverb
• ur·baneness noun
• unur·bane adjective
• unur·banely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of urbane¹

1525–35; (< Middle French urbain ) < Latin urbānus ( urban; for difference in stress and second syllable human, humane )

Word History and Origins

Origin of urbane¹

C16: from Latin urbānus belonging to the town; see urban

Example Sentences

Yet two Wounaan weavers, Miria Chirimia and Elsa Chocho, craft sleek baskets whose two-toned patterns appear positively urbane.

From Washington Post

The show’s most urban, if not urbane, artworks are Pam Frederick’s “It’s in the Cards” collages, constructed from photographs of fortuneteller shops in Washington and New Orleans.

From Washington Post

Slight beer belly and a measured voice, intelligent and urbane.

From Ozy

Grant says that a modern-day Jackie Kennedy, worldly and urbane, would have embraced the influences of various cultures in today’s America.

From Washington Blade

He is, by all accounts, brilliant; a dashing, urbane go-getter who exudes charm.

From The Daily Beast

And menswear designer Michael Bastian created a world of gentlemen farmers and urbane dandies.

From The Daily Beast

The year 2011 was particularly tough for the usually gracious and urbane president.

From The Daily Beast

He's weird-looking, with a not very urbane, sentimental aesthetic; he's backed by a neighborhood bar band.

From The Daily Beast

He was a light-hearted but serious and civilized man—urbane, to use an old-fashioned word.

From The Daily Beast

Surely it is not urbane to throw on another the burden of saying that he likes not the smell or the inhaling of burning tobacco.

From Project Gutenberg

His name and paper, has a respectable credit, even among the urbane denizens of Wall street.

From Project Gutenberg

I would sit on the Liberal benches and watch him, and listen to his urbane voice, fascinated by him.

From Project Gutenberg

In New York, then, you are met everywhere by a sort of urbane familiarity.

From Project Gutenberg

The urbane storeman saved the situation by inquiring of the cook: "What will you have for lunch?"

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• affable
• cosmopolitan
• cultured
• elegant
• polished
• refined
• sophisticated
• suave
• well-bred