urbane

[ ur-beyn ]

adjective

1. having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities:

   an urbane manner.

   Synonyms: cosmopolitan, suave

2. reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., especially in expression:

   He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.

urbane

/ ɜːˈbeɪn /

adjective

1. characterized by elegance or sophistication

Derived Forms

• urˈbanely, adverb
• urˈbaneness, noun

Other Words From

• ur·banely adverb
• ur·baneness noun
• unur·bane adjective
• unur·banely adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of urbane¹

1525–35; (< Middle French urbain ) < Latin urbānus ( urban; for difference in stress and second syllable human, humane )

Word History and Origins

Origin of urbane¹

C16: from Latin urbānus belonging to the town; see urban

Example Sentences

Being seen at a café here is considered hip and urbane, and that has helped drive young customers through the doors.

From BBC

An urbane technocrat from a well-heeled Jewish family, whose maternal grandparents fled the Holocaust, she cuts a very different figure to Amlo.

From BBC

“Nowadays there are more urbane people living in the Piedmont. Nobody’s coming out of the hills doing any of those big, back-throated things.”

From Los Angeles Times

“He was brilliant and urbane, but always with a delightful sense of irony,” said Judy Woodruff, who later served as a “PBS NewsHour” anchor.

From Los Angeles Times

Many were and are intelligent, educated, urbane, successful and accomplished professionals.

From Salon

Related Words

• affable
• cosmopolitan
• cultured
• elegant
• polished
• refined
• sophisticated
• suave
• well-bred