Respectful and courteous behavior that shows consideration for other people's feelings.
From Old French 'polite' (refined), derived from Latin 'politus' meaning polished or refined. The word originally meant smooth or elegant in appearance, then evolved to mean refined in manners and behavior.
Politeness is fascinating because it's completely cultural—what's polite in Japan (silent eating) would be rude in Italy (not making conversation). Your 'politeness' is literally your culture's rules encoded in behavior!
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