polite society

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word polite society. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word polite society, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say polite society in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word polite society you have here. The definition of the word polite society will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofpolite society, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

Noun

polite society (uncountable)

  1. The elite or upper crust of society.
    • 1803, Maria Edgeworth, The Manufacturers:
      [H]e had been brought up in an extravagant family, who considered tradesmen and manufacturers as a caste disgraceful to polite society.
    • 1863, William Makepeace Thackeray, Roundabout Papers:
      [I]n the midst of the company assembled the reader's humble servant was present, and in a very polite society, too, of "poets, clergymen, men of letters, and members of both Houses of Parliament."
    • 1873, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, chapter VI, in The Parisians‎, book IX:
      […] a club especially favoured by wits, authors, and the flaneurs of polite society.
  2. That portion of society that is especially concerned with etiquette, proper behavior, and politeness.
    • 1892, F. Marion Crawford, chapter 14, in Pietro Ghisleri:
      [S]he managed with considerable effort to keep up a sufficient outward semblance of mourning to satisfy the customs and fashions of polite society.
    • 1909, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 6, in The Gem Collector:
      Scenes, Lady Jane had explained—on the occasion of his knocking down an objectionable cabman during their honeymoon trip—were of all things what polite society most resolutely abhorred.
    • 2002 May 26, Frank Gibney Jr., “Can a Church Go Broke?”, in Time‎, archived from the original on 7 March 2016:
      It used to be said that in polite society one shouldn't discuss sex or money.

Translations

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia