civility
Definitions
Polite, courteous behavior, especially in a formal or restrained way
礼貌，文明的举止
A polite remark or act used in social situations (often plural: civilities)
客套话，礼节性举动（常用复数 civilities）
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedcivil (in its 'polite' sense) + -ity (the quality of) = 'the quality of being civil.' It bottles up exactly the courtesy sense of civil: the basic, citizen-like decency people owe each other when sharing a community.
Why It Means This
Civility comes from the 'polite' sense of civil, not the legal one — it is citizen-like good manners distilled into a noun. The idea is that people who share a community owe each other a baseline of decency, even when they disagree. Its formal opposite, incivility, names the breakdown of that baseline. Note the plural 'civilities' means small polite gestures or remarks, not the abstract quality.
Example Sentences
- 1.
Even in a heated debate, both sides maintained a basic civility.
- 2.
There is a growing concern about the loss of civility in public life.
- 3.
She exchanged a few civilities with the host before leaving.