Meaning of polite society | Babel Free

Definitions

1. The elite or upper crust of society.
   uncountable
2. That portion of society that is especially concerned with etiquette, proper behavior, and politeness.
   uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“[H]e had been brought up in an extravagant family, who considered tradesmen and manufacturers as a caste disgraceful to polite society.”

“[I]n the midst of the company assembled the reader's humble servant was present, and in a very polite society, too, of "poets, clergymen, men of letters, and members of both Houses of Parliament."”

“[…] a club especially favoured by wits, authors, and the flaneurs of polite society.”

“[S]he managed with considerable effort to keep up a sufficient outward semblance of mourning to satisfy the customs and fashions of polite society.”

“Scenes, Lady Jane had explained—on the occasion of his knocking down an objectionable cabman during their honeymoon trip—were of all things what polite society most resolutely abhorred.”

“It used to be said that in polite society one shouldn't discuss sex or money.”

CEFR level