politely

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English

Etymology

polite +‎ -ly

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pəˈlaɪtli/
  • Hyphenation: po‧lite‧ly

Adverb

politely (comparative more politely, superlative most politely)

  1. in a polite manner
    If pressed about a serious accusation like rape, you can politely reply that you can’t answer questions pertaining to such an allegation without legal representation and wish to remain silent. ― G.S. Luthra, New Jersey Beach Beat Down Shows Why It’s Foolish To Resist Police
    • 1986, John le Carré, A Perfect Spy:
      It was night once more and Mary had got through another day without throwing herself politely from a top floor window or scrawling filthy words on the dining room walls.

Translations