noun · neutral
politeness
/pəˈlaɪtnəs/po·LITE·ness
behaviour that is respectful and considerate of other people
Examples
“Politeness is highly valued in many cultures and can affect business relationships.”
“A small gesture of politeness, like saying thank you, can change someone's day.”
“The receptionist's politeness gave a good first impression to visitors.”
Band 8 sentence
“In intercultural communication, understanding local norms of politeness can prevent unintended offence.”
Collocations
- show politeness
- lack of politeness
Word family
Common mistakes
He accepted the gift with politeness.→He accepted the gift politely.
Politeness is important, politely speaking.→Politeness is important. To speak politely, ...
Say it for a higher band
5nice→6courtesy→7+politeness
Synonyms
courtesy
good manners
Easily confused
courtesy
“He extended the courtesy of calling ahead to let them know he would be late.”
Related words
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In -ness
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