gracious

[grey-shuh s] /ˈgreɪ ʃəs/
adjective
1.
pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.
2.
characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury:
gracious suburban living; a gracious home.
3.
indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, especially to inferiors.
4.
merciful or compassionate:
our gracious king.
5.
Obsolete. fortunate or happy.
interjection
6.
(used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English gracious < Old French < Latin grātiōsus amiable, equivalent to grāti(a) grace + -ōsus -ous
Related forms
graciously, adverb
graciousness, graciosity
[grey-shee-os-i-tee] /ˌgreɪ ʃiˈɒs ɪ ti/ (Show IPA), noun
nongraciosity, noun
nongracious, adjective
nongraciously, adverb
nongraciousness, noun
overgracious, adjective
overgraciously, adverb
overgraciousness, noun
quasi-gracious, adjective
quasi-graciously, adverb
Can be confused
gracious, gratis, gratuitous.
Synonyms
1. benign, friendly, favorable, polite. See kind1 . 4. tender, clement, mild, gentle.
Antonyms
1. churlish. 4. cruel.
Examples from the web for gracious
  • Surprises, small houses, and gracious acceptances marked the event.
  • The people of the bayous are amazingly resilient, gracious and friendly.
  • All this seems from a slower, more gracious time.
  • He was unfailingly gracious, friendly, and funny.
  • But it had the space and privacy they wanted, and the gracious layout that made it seem like a house rather than an apartment.
  • His audience was less than equally gracious; but that is hardly his fault.
  • The superintendent was gracious and full of information.
  • Goodness gracious.
  • Some colleges make gracious accommodations.
  • The rooms are as gracious as you would expect.
British Dictionary definitions for gracious

gracious

/ˈɡreɪʃəs/
adjective
1.
characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy
2.
condescendingly courteous, benevolent, or indulgent
3.
characterized by or suitable for a life of elegance, ease, and indulgence: gracious living, gracious furnishings
4.
merciful or compassionate
5.
(obsolete) fortunate, prosperous, or happy
interjection
6.
an expression of mild surprise or wonder (often in exclamatory phrases such as good gracious!, gracious me!)
Derived Forms
graciously, adverb
graciousness, noun
Word Origin and History for gracious
adj.

c.1300, "filled with God's grace," from Old French gracios "courteous, pleasing, kind, friendly" (12c., Modern French gracieux), from Latin gratiosus "enjoying favor, agreeable, obliging; popular, acceptable," from gratia (see grace). Meaning "merciful, benevolent" is from late 14c. As an exclamation, elliptically for gracious God, attested from 1713.

Idioms and Phrases with gracious

gracious

see: goodness gracious