suave

The story

1. Latin · derived fromsuāvis“sweet, pleasant”
2. Middle English · inherited fromsuave
3. English todaysuave

From Middle English suave, borrowed from Latin suāvis (“sweet, pleasant”); doublet of sweet. First attested in the early 15th century.

First known use, by meaning

• from 1830s Of a person, charming, though often in a manner that is insincere or sophisticated.
• from early 14th c. Gracious, kind.