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urbane (adj.)
1530s, "of or relating to cities or towns" (a rare sense now obsolete), from French urbain (14c.) and directly from Latin urbanus "belonging to a city," also "citified, elegant" (see urban). The meaning "civil, courteous, having the manners of townspeople, refined" is from 1620s, from a secondary sense in classical Latin. (Urbanity in this sense is recorded from 1530s.) For sense connection and differentiation of form, compare human/humane; german/germane. Related: Urbanely.
Urbane; literally city-like, expresses a sort of politeness which is not only sincere and kind, but peculiarly suave and agreeable. [Century Dictionary]
also from 1530s
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updated on November 26, 2024
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