noun
civility
suh-VIL-ih-tee/səˈvɪləti/
Polite, respectful behavior or speech.
The teenager shows civility by holding the door for an older neighbor.
Etymology
The quality of being civil began here as the status of a citizen. Through senses such as good citizenship and behavior proper to civilized people, civility came to mean polite treatment of others.
In context
using Tac can help you to preserve civility show respect for others preserve their self-esteem and even protect your relationship with them
More examples
- She answered the insult with unexpected civility.
- The meeting began with an exchange of polite civilities.
- A little civility made the difficult conversation easier.
Forms
civility · civilities
Similar words
- friendliness
- Friendliness implies warmth; civility requires respectful manners even without affection.