Meanings
polish1
nounpolish (countable and uncountable, plural polishes)
plural polishes
- countableuncountableCleanliness; smoothness, shininess.
The floor was waxed to a high polish.
Synonyms: finish, sheen, shine, shininess, smoothness
- countableuncountableRefinement; cleanliness in performance or presentation.
The lecturer showed a lot of polish at his last talk.
Synonyms: class, elegance, panache, refinement, style
verbpolish (third-person singular simple present polishes, present participle polishing, simple past and past participle polished)
present singular third person polishes · participle present polishing · participle past polished · past polished
- transitiveTo refine; remove imperfections from.
The band has polished its performance since the last concert.
1 more example
Study gives strength to the mind; conversation, grace: the first apt to give stiffness, the other suppleness: one gives substance and form to the statue, the other polishes it.
1699, William Temple, Heads designed for an essay on conversations - transitiveTo apply shoe polish to shoes.
- intransitiveTo become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface.
Steel polishes well.
1 more example
The other [gold], whether it will polish so well Wherein for the latter [brass] it is probable it will
a. 1626, Francis Bacon, Inquisitions touching the compounding of metals - transitiveTo refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite.
Arts that polish Life.
1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC1 more example
Educated at private schools and polished at Cambridge
1971, Herb Spiers, “Maurice (review)”, in Body Politic, number 1, page 12
Polish2
adjectivePolish (not comparable)
alternative Pl.
- not comparableOf, from or native to Poland, or relating to the Polish language.
Vinokur pulled the trigger a second and third time. "You're lying, you Polish cunt!" he screamed.
2007, Elazar Barkan, Elizabeth A. Cole, Kai Struve, Shared History, Divided Memory, page 2873 more examples
As we mentioned the only chemical used in Polish meats or sausages was potassium nitrate even though the list of food additives allowed in Europe was long and impressive.
2009, Stanley Marianski, Adam Marianski, Miroslaw Gebarowski, Polish Sausages: Authentic Recipes and Instructions, page 13“There’s a sense of betrayal,” said the former Hamtramck mayor Karen Majewski, who is Polish American.
2023 June 17, Tom Perkins, “‘A sense of betrayal’: liberal dismay as Muslim-led US city bans Pride flags”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 10 Aug 2023A far-right Polish MP has extinguished candles on a menorah lit for Hanukah in Poland’s parliament, disrupting proceedings before a planned vote of confidence in the new government.
2023 December 12, Shaun Walker, “Far-right Polish MP uses fire extinguisher to put out Hanukah candles”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 15 Jun 2025
nounPolish (uncountable)
alternative Pl.
- uncountableThe language spoken in Poland.
The big advantage of learning Russian is that, once you’re proficient, you can understand other Slav languages such as Czech, Polish or Bulgarian.
2021 April 25, John Malathronas, “Which languages are easiest – and most difficult – for native English speakers to learn?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2022
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA substance used to polish.
Similar
nounCleanliness; smoothness, shininess.
nounRefinement; cleanliness in performance or presentation.
verbTo shine; to make a surface very smooth or shiny by rubbing, cleaning, or grinding.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe property of being smooth and shiny
Similar
nouna highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality
verbbring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
polish · noun, verb
- Proto-Indo-European*pelh₂-“to drive, strike, thrust”
- Latinpolīre“to polish, make smooth”
- Middle Englishpolishen
- Englishpolish
From Middle English polishen, from Old French poliss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of polir, from Latin polīre (“to polish, make smooth”), from Proto-Indo-European *pelh₂- (“to drive, strike, thrust”), from the notion of fulling cloth.
More words from Middle English, Latin, Proto-Indo-European
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans Pools, Pools
- Poolsof Poland or its language
- Poolsthe language of Poland
Arabic لَمَّعَ, صَقَل
- لَمَّعَ (lammaʕa)make a surface smooth or shiny
- صَقَل (ṣaqal)to refine; improve imperfections from
- بُولَنْدِيّ (bulandiyy)of Poland or its language
- بُولَنْدِيّ (bōlandiyy)of Poland or its language
- بُولَنْدِيَّة (bōlandiyya)the language of Poland
Basque poloniera
- polonierathe language of Poland
Bengali পোলীয়, লেহিস্তানী
- পোলীয় (pōliẏo)of Poland or its language
- লেহিস্তানী (lehistani)of Poland or its language
- লেহিস্তানী (lehistani)the language of Poland
Bulgarian лак, гланц
- лак (lak)substance used to polish
- гланц (glanc)substance used to polish
- политура (politura)substance used to polish
- лъскавина (lăskavina)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- блясък (bljasăk)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- лъскам (lăskam)make a surface smooth or shiny
- полирам (poliram)make a surface smooth or shiny
- лъскам (lăskam)to apply shoe polish
- по́лски (pólski)of Poland or its language
- по́лски (pólski)the language of Poland
Catalan poliment, polir
- polimentsubstance used to polish
- polirmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polirto refine; improve imperfections from
- polonèsof Poland or its language
- polonèsthe language of Poland
Chinese Mandarin 擦亮, 波蘭的 /波兰的
- 擦亮 (cāliàng)make a surface smooth or shiny
- 波蘭的 /波兰的 (Bōlán de)of Poland or its language
- 波蘭語 /波兰语 (bōlányǔ)the language of Poland
Czech leštidlo, leštit
- leštidlosubstance used to polish
- leštitmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polskýof Poland or its language
- polštinathe language of Poland
Danish pudsecreme, politur
- pudsecremesubstance used to polish
- politursubstance used to polish
- glanscleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- glathedcleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- elegancecleanliness in performance or presentation
- forfinelsecleanliness in performance or presentation
- poleremake a surface smooth or shiny
- blankemake a surface smooth or shiny
- pudsemake a surface smooth or shiny
- glattemake a surface smooth or shiny
- forfineto refine; improve imperfections from
- polskof Poland or its language
- polskthe language of Poland
Dutch poets, poetsmiddel
- poetssubstance used to polish
- poetsmiddelsubstance used to polish
- glanscleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- polijstenmake a surface smooth or shiny
- poetsenmake a surface smooth or shiny
- oppoetsenmake a surface smooth or shiny
- oppoetsento refine; improve imperfections from
- Poolsof Poland or its language
- Poolsthe language of Poland
Esperanto polurilo, poluro
- polurilosubstance used to polish
- polurocleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- polurimake a surface smooth or shiny
- polaof Poland or its language
- pollandaof Poland or its language
- pollingvaof Poland or its language
- polathe language of Poland
Estonian poola, poola
- poolaof Poland or its language
- poolathe language of Poland
Finnish kiillote, kiillotusaine
- kiillotesubstance used to polish
- kiillotusainesubstance used to polish
- (shininess) kiiltocleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- tasaisuuscleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- viimeistelycleanliness in performance or presentation
- selkeyscleanliness in performance or presentation
- tyylicleanliness in performance or presentation
- kiillottaamake a surface smooth or shiny
- hioamake a surface smooth or shiny
- puunatamake a surface smooth or shiny
- lankatamake a surface smooth or shiny
- hioato refine; improve imperfections from
- parannellato refine; improve imperfections from
- kehittääto refine; improve imperfections from
- kiillottaa kenkiäto apply shoe polish
- lankatato apply shoe polish
- puolalainenof Poland or its language
- puolathe language of Poland
- puolan kielithe language of Poland
French vernis, polir
- vernissubstance used to polish
- polirmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polonaisof Poland or its language
- polonaisthe language of Poland
German Politur, Glanz
- Politursubstance used to polish
- Glanzcleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- Schliffcleanliness in performance or presentation
- polierenmake a surface smooth or shiny
- perfektionierento refine; improve imperfections from
- wichsento apply shoe polish
- polnischof Poland or its language
- Polnischthe language of Poland
Greek γυαλίζω, λουστράρω
- γυαλίζω (gyalízo)make a surface smooth or shiny
- λουστράρω (loustráro)make a surface smooth or shiny
- πολωνικός (polonikós)of Poland or its language
- πολωνέζικος (polonézikos)of Poland or its language
- πολωνικά (poloniká)the language of Poland
- πολωνέζικα (polonézika)the language of Poland
Hawaiian Pōlani
- Pōlaniof Poland or its language
Hebrew צִחְצֵחַ, מֵרֵק
- צִחְצֵחַ (tsikhtséakh)make a surface smooth or shiny
- מֵרֵק (merék)make a surface smooth or shiny
- ליטשto refine; improve imperfections from
- לִטֵּשׁ (litésh)to refine; improve imperfections from
- פּוֹלָנִי (polaní)of Poland or its language
- פולנית (polanít)the language of Poland
Hindi पोलिश, पोलिश
- पोलिश (poliś)of Poland or its language
- पोलिश (poliś)the language of Poland
Hungarian kifényesít, políroz
- kifényesítmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polírozmake a surface smooth or shiny
- fényezmake a surface smooth or shiny
- lengyelof Poland or its language
- lengyelthe language of Poland
Icelandic pólskur, pólska
- pólskurof Poland or its language
- pólskathe language of Poland
Indonesian poles, bahasa Polandia
- polessubstance used to polish
- bahasa Polandiathe language of Poland
Irish snas, Polannach
- snascleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- Polannachof Poland or its language
- Polainnisthe language of Poland
Italian lucido, cera
- lucidosubstance used to polish
- cerasubstance used to polish
- luciditàcleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- lucentezzacleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- brillantezzacleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- levigatezzacleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- raffinatezzacleanliness in performance or presentation
- lucidaremake a surface smooth or shiny
- levigaremake a surface smooth or shiny
- lustraremake a surface smooth or shiny
- brillantaremake a surface smooth or shiny
- tirare a lucidomake a surface smooth or shiny
- perfezionareto refine; improve imperfections from
- smussareto refine; improve imperfections from
- levigareto refine; improve imperfections from
- lustrareto apply shoe polish
- lucidareto apply shoe polish
- polaccoof Poland or its language
- polaccothe language of Poland
Japanese 研磨剤, 綺麗
- 研磨剤 (kenma-zai)substance used to polish
- 綺麗 (kirei)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 清らか (kiyoraka)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 清潔 (seiketsu)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 平ら (taira)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 平坦 (heitan)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 輝き (shininess)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- つや (tsuya)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 艶 (tsuya)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 光沢 (kōtaku)cleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- 洗練 (senren)cleanliness in performance or presentation
- 磨く (migaku)make a surface smooth or shiny
- 研ぐ (togu)make a surface smooth or shiny
- 洗練する (senren-suru)to refine; improve imperfections from
- ポーランドの (Pōrando no)of Poland or its language
- ポーランド語 (pōrandogo)the language of Poland
Korean 닦다, 폴란드의
- 닦다 (dakda)make a surface smooth or shiny
- 폴란드의 (Pollandeu-ui)of Poland or its language
- 뽈스까의 (Ppolseukka-ui)of Poland or its language
- 폴란드어 (pollandeueo)the language of Poland
Latin poliō, Polonicus
- poliōmake a surface smooth or shiny
- Polonicusof Poland or its language
Latvian poļu, polisks
- poļuof Poland or its language
- polisksof Poland or its language
- poļuthe language of Poland
- poļu valodathe language of Poland
Lithuanian lenkiškas, lenkų
- lenkiškasof Poland or its language
- lenkųof Poland or its language
- lenkųthe language of Poland
- lenkiškaithe language of Poland
Malay bahasa Poland
- bahasa Polandthe language of Poland
Māori whakapiata, whakamahine
- whakapiatamake a surface smooth or shiny
- whakamahinemake a surface smooth or shiny
- whakamahenimake a surface smooth or shiny
- whakapīratamake a surface smooth or shiny
Norwegian Bokmål polere, pusse
- poleremake a surface smooth or shiny
- pussemake a surface smooth or shiny
- polskof Poland or its language
- polskthe language of Poland
Persian پولیش, پولیش کردن
- پولیش (poliš)substance used to polish
- پولیش کردن (poliš kardan)make a surface smooth or shiny
- لهستانی (lahestâni)of Poland or its language
- لهستانی (lahestâni)the language of Poland
Polish pasta do polerowania, połysk
- pasta do polerowaniasubstance used to polish
- połyskcleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- polerowaćmake a surface smooth or shiny
- wygładzaćmake a surface smooth or shiny
- szlifowaćto refine; improve imperfections from
- polskiof Poland or its language
- język polskithe language of Poland
- polszczyznathe language of Poland
Portuguese cera, graxa
- cerasubstance used to polish
- graxasubstance used to polish
- polimentocleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- polimentocleanliness in performance or presentation
- polirmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polirto refine; improve imperfections from
- polonêsof Poland or its language
- polacoof Poland or its language
- polonêsthe language of Poland
- polacothe language of Poland
Romanian pastă de lustruit, lustrui
- pastă de lustruitsubstance used to polish
- lustruimake a surface smooth or shiny
- perfecționato refine; improve imperfections from
- lustruito apply shoe polish
- polonez m polonezăof Poland or its language
- polonof Poland or its language
- polonăof Poland or its language
- leahof Poland or its language
- leahăof Poland or its language
- leșiof Poland or its language
- polonezăthe language of Poland
- polonăthe language of Poland
Russian полирова́ть, шлифова́ть
- полирова́ть (polirovátʹ)make a surface smooth or shiny
- шлифова́ть (šlifovátʹ)make a surface smooth or shiny
- по́льский (pólʹskij)of Poland or its language
- по́льский (pólʹskij)the language of Poland
Scottish Gaelic lìomh, lìomh
- lìomhsubstance used to polish
- lìomhmake a surface smooth or shiny
- lìomhto apply shoe polish
- Pòlainneachof Poland or its language
- Pòlainnisthe language of Poland
Slovak poľský, poľština
- poľskýof Poland or its language
- poľštinathe language of Poland
- poľskýthe language of Poland
Spanish pulidor, abrillantador
- pulidorsubstance used to polish
- abrillantadorsubstance used to polish
- pulimentosubstance used to polish
- betúnsubstance used to polish
- pulirmake a surface smooth or shiny
- acicalarmake a surface smooth or shiny
- polirmake a surface smooth or shiny
- pulimentarmake a surface smooth or shiny
- lustrarmake a surface smooth or shiny
- alcorzarmake a surface smooth or shiny
- aluciarmake a surface smooth or shiny
- pulirto refine; improve imperfections from
- acicalarto refine; improve imperfections from
- polirto refine; improve imperfections from
- aluciarto refine; improve imperfections from
- lustrarto apply shoe polish
- polacoof Poland or its language
- polonésof Poland or its language
- polacothe language of Poland
Swahili Kipolandi, Kipoli
- Kipolandiof Poland or its language
- Kipoliof Poland or its language
- Kipolandithe language of Poland
- Kipolithe language of Poland
Swedish polityr, polermedel
- polityrsubstance used to polish
- polermedelsubstance used to polish
- putsmedelsubstance used to polish
- polishcleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- glanscleanliness; smoothness; shininess
- finesscleanliness in performance or presentation
- polityrcleanliness in performance or presentation
- poleramake a surface smooth or shiny
- putsamake a surface smooth or shiny
- polerato refine; improve imperfections from
- putsato refine; improve imperfections from
- polskof Poland or its language
- polskathe language of Poland
Tagalog Polako
- Polakoof Poland or its language
Tamil போலிஷ்
- போலிஷ் (pōliṣ)the language of Poland
Thai โปแลนด์, ภาษาโปแลนด์
- โปแลนด์ (bpoo-lɛɛn)of Poland or its language
- ภาษาโปแลนด์ (paa-sǎa bpoo-lɛɛn)the language of Poland
Turkish parlatma maddesi, parlatmak
- parlatma maddesisubstance used to polish
- parlatmakmake a surface smooth or shiny
- mührelemekmake a surface smooth or shiny
- Polonyalıof Poland or its language
- Lehof Poland or its language
- Lehçethe language of Poland
Ukrainian полірува́ти, пополірува́ти
- полірува́ти (poliruváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- пополірува́ти (popoliruváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- відполіро́вувати (vidpoliróvuvaty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- відполірува́ти (vidpoliruváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- шліфува́ти (šlifuváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- пошліфува́ти (pošlifuváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- відшліфо́вувати (vidšlifóvuvaty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- відшліфува́ти (vidšlifuváty)make a surface smooth or shiny
- по́льський (pólʹsʹkyj)of Poland or its language
- по́льська мо́ва (pólʹsʹka móva)the language of Poland
- по́льська (pólʹsʹka)the language of Poland
Urdu پولش, پولستانی
- پولش (poliś)of Poland or its language
- پولستانی (polstāni)the language of Poland
Vietnamese đánh bóng, Ba Lan
- đánh bóngmake a surface smooth or shiny
- Ba Lanof Poland or its language
- tiếng Ba-lanthe language of Poland
Welsh Pwylaidd, Pwyleg
- Pwylaiddof Poland or its language
- Pwylegthe language of Poland
Yiddish פּויליש
- פּויליש (poylish)of Poland or its language
Zulu Isipholisha
- Isipholishathe language of Poland
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
polish. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polish
MLA
“polish.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polish. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polish,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polish.
Source: polish on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.