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Debonair vs Polite - What's the difference?

debonair | polite |

In obsolete|lang=en terms the difference between debonair and polite

is that debonair is (obsolete) gracious, courteous while polite is (obsolete) smooth, polished, burnished.

As adjectives the difference between debonair and polite

is that debonair is (obsolete) gracious, courteous while polite is well-mannered, civilized.

As a verb polite is

(obsolete|transitive) to polish; to refine; to render polite.

debonair

English

Alternative forms

* debonaire

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • (obsolete) Gracious, courteous.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , II.vi:
  • Let be that Ladie debonaire , / Thou recreant knight, and soone thy selfe prepaire / To battell [...].
  • Suave, urbane and sophisticated.
  • (especially of men) Charming, confident and carefully dressed.
  • Anagrams

    *

    polite

    English

    Adjective

    (en-adj)
  • Well-mannered, civilized.
  • * (Alexander Pope)
  • He marries, bows at court, and grows polite .
  • * , chapter=4
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients , passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite .}}
  • (obsolete) Smooth, polished, burnished.
  • * (Isaac Newton)
  • rays of light falling on a polite surface

    Usage notes

    * The one-word comparative form (politer) and superlative form (politest) exist, but are less common than their two-word counterparts (term) and (term).

    Synonyms

    * See also

    Antonyms

    * impolite * rude

    Derived terms

    * over-polite * politeness * polite society

    Verb

    (polit)
  • (obsolete) To polish; to refine; to render polite.
  • (Ray)

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----