civilities
Social grace gestures
Civilities are polite words, gestures, or acts—the small courtesies that smooth social interaction.
Greeting someone, holding a door, saying please and thank you: these are civilities.
The word often appears in phrases like exchange civilities or observe the civilities, suggesting ritual politeness rather than genuine warmth.
To dispense with civilities is to skip the pleasantries and get to the point.
Courteous, respectful conduct
- respectRegard with honor
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
- graciousnessCourteous, kind demeanor
cordiality · tactfulness · kindness · thoughtfulness · geniality · affability · congeniality · courteousness
Prescribed conduct rules
- decorumFitting social conduct
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- formalityStrict observance of convention
- ceremonyFormal event marking occasions
conventions · observances · formalities · social graces · table manners · dress code · introductions · salutations
Refined social standing
- sophisticationCultured elegance and complexity
- urbanityRefined worldly manner
- cultivationFostering growth through care
- breedingReproductive cultivation of organisms
polish · elegance · savoir-faire · comportment · demeanor · deportment · respectability · worldliness
politeness
Courteous, respectful conduct
- respectRegard with honor
- deferenceYielding to another's judgment
- considerationCareful thought or compensation
graciousness · cordiality · tactfulness · kindness · thoughtfulness · geniality · affability · congeniality · courteousness · amicability
protocol
Prescribed conduct rules
- decorumFitting social conduct
- proprietyCorrectness of conduct
- formalityStrict observance of convention
ceremony · conventions · observances · formalities · social graces · table manners · dress code · introductions · salutations · toasts
gentility
Refined social standing
- sophisticationCultured elegance and complexity
- urbanityRefined worldly manner
- cultivationFostering growth through care
breeding · polish · elegance · savoir-faire · comportment · demeanor · deportment · respectability · worldliness · cosmopolitanism
civilitiesincivilities
Impolite behaviors or remarks
rudeness · discourtesies · insults · disrespect · impoliteness
civilitiesbluntness
Frank, unvarnished manner
brusqueness · curtness · directness · abruptness · informality
civilitiescandor
Unguarded truthfulness
bluntness · frankness · brutal honesty · unvarnished truth · directness
civil, civic, civilian, civilized, civilization, uncivilized, uncivil, civility, civics