urbane

[ur-beyn] /ɜrˈbeɪn/

adjective

having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities:

an urbane manner.

reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., especially in expression:

He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.

Origin

1525-35; (< Middle French urbain) < Latin urbānus (see urban; for difference in stress and second syllable cf. human, humane)

Related forms

urbanely, adverb

urbaneness, noun

unurbane, adjective

unurbanely, adverb

Can be confused

urban, urbane.

Synonyms

1. suave, cosmopolitan.

Examples from the web for urbane

They didn't want to be better informed or urbane, or to know what is great in human achievement.
He was a good insurance broker: urbane and vigorous, and he could sell.
He was urbane, arch, ever-amused in a cosmopolitan way.
They have already tasted the fruits and sweets of the big city, and qualified as urban-perhaps better say urbane-sophisticates.
These antics are intended to suggest that all three characters are urbane patricians, filled with charm and worldly wisdom.
Without matching, the buildings compliment each other in a particularly urbane way and form an ensemble which should be preserved.

British Dictionary definitions for urbane

urbane

/ɜːˈbeɪn/

adjective

characterized by elegance or sophistication

Derived Forms

urbanely, adverb
urbaneness, noun

Word Origin

C16: from Latin urbānus belonging to the town; see urban

Word Origin and History for urbane

adj.

1530s, "of or relating to cities or towns," from Middle French urbain (14c.), from Latin urbanus "belonging to a city," also "citified, elegant" (see urban). The meaning "having the manners of townspeople, courteous, refined" is first attested 1620s. Urbanity in this sense is recorded from 1530s. For sense connection, cf. human/humane.