urbanity

[ur-ban-i-tee]

See more synonyms for urbanity on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural ur·ban·i·ties.

the quality of being urbane; refined courtesy or politeness; suavity: He was the last word in urbanity.
urbanities, civilities or amenities.
the quality or state of being urban.

Origin of urbanity

From the Latin word urbānitās, dating back to 1525–35. See urbane, -ity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for urbanity

Contemporary Examples

For Shaftel this kind of licentious behavior amounts to “conspicuous consumption disguised as urbanity.”
Don’t Diss the Beauty of Brunch: Defending Our Favorite Meal
Tim Teeman
October 15, 2014
British-born, he had a level of self-possession that seemed virtually Bond-like in the urbanity vacuum of CBS prime time.
A Kiss Goodbye to Richard Dawson
Rebecca Dana
June 4, 2012

Historical Examples

Despite his visitor's urbanity, he was still a little nervous.
The Avenger
E. Phillips Oppenheim
We manage to correct a stranger with urbanity and good humour.
Shelley, Godwin and Their Circle
H. N. Brailsford
His tone had lost a little of its urbanity when he answered.
Galusha the Magnificent
Joseph C. Lincoln
There was no trace of humour or urbanity now in Captain Blood.
Captain Blood
Rafael Sabatini
Urbanity he practised, not with jest and witticism, but by the courtesy of his demeanour.
Agesilaus
Xenophon

British Dictionary definitions for urbanity

urbanity

noun plural -ties

the quality of being urbane
(usually plural) civilities or courtesies

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

Word Origin and History for urbanity

n.

1530s, from French urbanité (14c.) or directly from Latin urbanitas, from urbanus (see urban).

urbanity

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}urbanity

Examples from the Web for urbanity

Contemporary Examples

For Shaftel this kind of licentious behavior amounts to “conspicuous consumption disguised as urbanity.”

British-born, he had a level of self-possession that seemed virtually Bond-like in the urbanity vacuum of CBS prime time.

Historical Examples

Despite his visitor's urbanity, he was still a little nervous.

We manage to correct a stranger with urbanity and good humour.

His tone had lost a little of its urbanity when he answered.

There was no trace of humour or urbanity now in Captain Blood.

Urbanity he practised, not with jest and witticism, but by the courtesy of his demeanour.

urbanity

Word Origin and History for urbanity

n.

Origin of urbanity