Meanings
- uncountableThe elite or upper crust of society.
[…] a club especially favoured by wits, authors, and the flaneurs of polite society.
1873, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, chapter VI, in The Parisians, book IX2 more examples
[H]e had been brought up in an extravagant family, who considered tradesmen and manufacturers as a caste disgraceful to polite society.
1803, Maria Edgeworth, The Manufacturers[I]n the midst of the company assembled the reader's humble servant was present, and in a very polite society, too, of "poets, clergymen, men of letters, and members of both Houses of Parliament."
1863, William Makepeace Thackeray, Roundabout Papers - uncountableThat portion of society that is especially concerned with etiquette, proper behavior, and politeness.
It used to be said that in polite society one shouldn't discuss sex or money.
2002 May 26, Frank Gibney Jr., “Can a Church Go Broke?”, in Time, archived from the original on 07 Mar 20162 more examples
[S]he managed with considerable effort to keep up a sufficient outward semblance of mourning to satisfy the customs and fashions of polite society.
1892, F. Marion Crawford, chapter 14, in Pietro GhisleriScenes, Lady Jane had explained—on the occasion of his knocking down an objectionable cabman during their honeymoon trip—were of all things what polite society most resolutely abhorred.
1909, P. G. Wodehouse, chapter 6, in The Gem Collector
Translations
Italian bel mondo, bel mondo
- bel mondoelite or upper crust of society
- bel mondoportion of society concerned with etiquette and proper behavior
Cite this entry
polite society. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polite%20society
“polite society.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polite%20society. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “polite society,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/polite%20society.
Source: polite society on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.