urbane

adj

1. Of a person (usually a man): having refined manners; courteous, polite, suave.

   “We took advantage of our acquaintance with the urbane Frenchman to join his party; the conversation turned almost entirely on literary subjects.”

   “Newman, at this juncture, fell to admiring the duchess for her fine manners. He felt, most accurately, that she was not a grain less urbane than she would have been if his marriage were still in prospect; but he felt also that she was not a particle more urbane.”

   “However, there was nothing for it but to welcome her with all the heartiness I could summon. The sepulchral atmosphere of the parlor had chilled and dampened the spirits of this usually urbane woman, while disappointment and disgust were written in every line of that strong face.”

   “Our people must have some control over our destiny," reasons Wilma Muth, an urbane woman who serves as Inyo County supervisor.”

   “Mme de Chartres' advice to her daughter consisted only of prohibitions from which we might infer that the virtuous urbane woman was both inactive and invisible, obviously not a particularly suitable subject for the elaboration of engaging tales.”

2. Of an act, expression, etc.: suited to a person of refined manners; elegant, sophisticated.

   “He [Yusuf I of Granada] had an excellent memory, well stored with science and erudition; he was of a lively genius, and accounted the best poet of his time, and his manners were gentle, affable, and urbane.”

   “The urbane activity with which a man receives money is really marvellous, considering that we so earnestly believe money to be the root of all earthly ills, and that on no account can a monied man enter heaven. Ah! how cheerfully we consign ourselves to perdition!”

   “"Good-morning, Sir," said his lordship, stepping forward in the most urbane manner, and stopping the doctor with a high-bred resolution impossible to resist, "I greatly fear you find no improvement in the symptoms to-day?"”

   “To guests, a servant should not sour-faced by, / But do the honours with a mind urbane.”

   “And with his trademark smoking jackets and pipes – and the silk pajamas he would often wear to work – [Hugh] Hefner became the embodiment of a sexually adventurous yet urbane image and lifestyle, a seeming role model for generations of men.”

3. (alt-of, obsolete)Obsolete spelling of urban (“of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a city or town, or life in such a place; living in a city or town; having authority or jurisdiction over a city or town”).

   “The Epithets of myce are thes; ſhort, ſmall, fearful, peaceable, ridiculous, ruſtik, or country mouſe, vrbane, or citty mouſe, […]”

   “All theſe Magiſtrats are but temporary, and have a time limited them; the Urbane or Citty Magiſtrats ſome of them continue in office 6. months, others 8. months, others are annuall; […]”

   “Raising, through just gradation, savage life / To rustic, and the rustic to urbane.”