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civil person observes such propriety of speech and manner as to avoid being rude; one who is polite
(literally polished) observes more than the necessary proprieties, conforming to all that is graceful, becoming,
and thoughtful in the intercourse of refined society. A man may be civil with no consideration for others,
simply because self-respect forbids him to be rude; but one who is polite has at least some care for the
opinions of others, and if polite in the highest and truest sense, which is coming to be the prevailing one, he
cares for the comfort and happiness of others in the smallest matters. Civil is a colder and more distant word
than polite; courteous is fuller and richer, dealing often with greater matters, and is used only in the good
sense. Courtly suggests that which befits a royal court, and is used of external grace and stateliness without
reference to the prompting feeling; as, the courtly manners of the ambassador. Genteel refers to an external
elegance, which may be showy and superficial, and the word is thus inferior to polite or courteous. Urbane
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
224
refers to a politeness that is genial and successful in giving others a sense of ease and cheer. Polished refers to
external elegancies of speech and manner without reference to spirit or purpose; as, a polished gentleman or a
polished scoundrel; cultured refers to a real and high development of mind and soul, of which the external
manifestation is the smallest part. Complaisant denotes a disposition to please or favor beyond what
politeness would necessarily require.
Antonyms:
awkward, clownish, ill-mannered, insulting, uncouth, bluff, coarse, impertinent, raw, unmannerly, blunt,
discourteous, impolite, rude, unpolished, boorish, ill-behaved, impudent, rustic, untaught, brusk, ill-bred,
insolent, uncivil, untutored.
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POLITY.
Synonyms:
constitution, policy, form or system of government.
Polity is the permanent system of government of a state, a church, or a society; policy is the method of
management with reference to the attainment of certain ends; the national polity of the United States is
republican; each administration has a policy of its own. Policy is often used as equivalent to expediency; as,
many think honesty to be good policy. Polity used in ecclesiastical use serves a valuable purpose in
distinguishing that which relates to administration and government from that which relates to faith and
doctrine; two churches identical in faith may differ in polity, or those agreeing in polity may differ in faith.
Compare LAW.
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PORTION.
Synonyms:
lot, parcel, part, proportion, share.
When any whole is divided into parts, any part that is allotted to some person, thing, subject or purpose is
called a portion, tho the division may be by no fixed rule or relation; a father may divide his estate by will
among his children so as to make their several portions great or small, according to his arbitrary and
unreasonable caprice. When we speak of a part as a proportion, we think of the whole as divided according to
some rule or scale, so that the different parts bear a contemplated and intended relation or ratio to one another;
thus, the portion allotted to a child by will may not be a fair proportion of the estate. Proportion is often used
where part or portion would be more appropriate. Compare PART.
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POVERTY.
Synonyms:
beggary, distress, mendicancy, pauperism, privation, destitution, indigence, need, penury, want.
Synonyms and Antonyms, by James Champlin Fernald
225
Poverty denotes strictly lack of property or adequate means of support, but in common use is a relative term
denoting any condition below that of easy, comfortable living; privation denotes a condition of painful lack of
what is useful or desirable, tho not to the extent of absolute distress; indigence is lack of ordinary means of
subsistence; destitution is lack of the comforts, and in part even of the necessaries of life; penury is especially
cramping poverty, possibly not so sharp as destitution, but continuous, while that may be temporary;
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