In a respectful and courteous manner; showing good manners and consideration for others.
From 'polite,' which comes from Latin 'politus' meaning 'refined' or 'polished' (as in rubbing something smooth). The '-ly' suffix makes it an adverb. The metaphor of 'polished' suggests that politeness is like smoothing rough edges off behavior.
Politeness codes are completely different across cultures—what's polite in Japan (silence, indirect suggestions) is rude in Italy (you should be animated and direct). This shows that 'politely' isn't a universal behavior; it's a cultural invention. Your parents taught you your culture's version of polite, and when you travel, you might accidentally seem rude because you're using the wrong code.
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