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Entry 4 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Polite

/pəl-īt'/ · Po·lite · IPA /pəˈlaɪt/
01 a. Smooth; polished.
  1. 1.
    Smooth; polished.[Obs.]
    “Rays of light falling on a polite surface.” — Sir I. Newton.
  2. 2.
    Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil.
    “He marries, bows at court, and grows polite.” — Pope.
  3. 3.
    Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature.
Syn. Polished; refined; well bred; courteous; affable; urbane; civil; courtly; elegant; genteel.
02 v. t. To polish; to refine; to render polite.
  1. 1.
    To polish; to refine; to render polite.[Obs.]