comity
Americannoun
plural
comities-
mutual courtesy; civility.
-
Also called comity of nations. courtesy between nations, as in respect shown by one country for the laws, judicial decisions, and institutions of another.
noun
-
mutual civility; courtesy
-
short for comity of nations
-
the policy whereby one religious denomination refrains from proselytizing the members of another
Usage
What does comity mean? Comity means mutual respect or civility. When two people or groups show comity, they behave toward each other in a way that’s respectful, courteous, and polite.The term is used in a more specific way to refer to mutual respect demonstrated by two nations, especially by respecting and abiding by each other’s laws and judicial decisions. This is sometimes referred to by the phrase comity of nations.Example: The two nations have a long tradition of comity, which makes the recent disagreement about extradition seem very unusual.
Etymology
Origin of comity
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin cōmitās, equivalent to cōm(is) “affable” + -itās -ity
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Somaliland has a government, a constitution, a currency, defined borders and social comity.
Unlike today’s comity among most European leaders, wartime distrust lingered and cooperation proved elusive.
They likely shook hands as they left the New York Historical, where the episode was filmed, content to have participated in a demonstration that relative comity is possible . . . in Middlevania.
From Salon
For Katherine, this revelation is the key that will unlock global comity.
From Los Angeles Times
Those predictions, however, have usually been followed by renewed signs of comity between the two men.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
