noun

manners

MAN-urz/mˈænɝz/

The customary patterns governing social behavior.

Holding the door for someone carrying a box shows good manners.

An adult holds a door for another person carrying a box, who acknowledges the courtesy with a grateful gesture.

Etymology

mannLatinhand

+erLatinbelonging to

+sEnglishplural

The hand-based idea of a “method of handling” broadened to ways of conducting oneself. The plural specialized in commendable habits of conduct, giving the sense of polite social behavior.

In context

The A.V. Club4:52

the comedy of manners of observing all these customs and rituals, which we think makes for fantastic drama.

Julian Fellowes and Gareth Neame on Belgravia the place vs. Belgravia the show

More examples

Children learn table manners by watching the adults around them.
The novel captures the manners of nineteenth-century New York.
Interrupting someone in mid-sentence is bad manners.

Forms

manners

mannerly adjective — Showing politeness and consideration for others.

Similar words

etiquette: Emphasizes specific rules of conduct in particular social settings.
customs: Includes shared traditions beyond polite behavior or social conduct.
decorum: Focuses on behavior considered proper for a particular occasion.