Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

urbane


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Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 30, 2024 is:

urbane • \er-BAYN\  • adjective

Someone described as urbane is notably polite, confident, or polished in manner. Urbane is also used to describe things that are fashionable and somewhat formal.

// "When did my willful, childish cousin turn into this urbane young artist greeting the guests at her opening reception?" wondered Elena.

// We were impressed by the hotel's urbane sophistication.

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Examples:

"The classical-meets-country-house architecture offers a relaxed lifestyle fused with urbane glamour and a thoroughly modern slate of creature comforts." — Mark David, Robb Report, 18 June 2024

Did you know?

City slickers and country folk have long debated whether life is better in town or in the wide-open spaces, and urbane is a term that springs from the throes of that debate. In its earliest English uses, urbane was synonymous with its close relative urban ("of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a city"). Both words come from the Latin adjective urbanus ("urban, urbane"), which in turn comes from urbs, meaning "city." The modern sense of urbane developed from the belief (no doubt fostered by cosmopolitan city dwellers) that living in the city made one more suave and polished than did leading a rural life.



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