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When Should You Use urbane?
City slickers and country folk have long debated whether life is better in town or in the wide-open spaces, and urbane is a term that springs from the throes of that debate. In its earliest English uses, urbane was synonymous with its close relative urban ("of, relating to, characteristic of, or constituting a city"). Both words come from the Latin adjective urbanus ("urban, urbane"), which in turn is derived from urbs, meaning "city." Urbane developed its modern sense denoting savoir faire from the belief (no doubt fostered by city dwellers) that living in the city made one more suave and polished than did leading a rural life.
Examples of urbane in a Sentence
Doreen St. Félix, The New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2024
The independent clothing brand, founded in 2013 by designer Dan Snyder, reflects everything that’s artful, urbane and unapologetically audacious about a borough legendary for its feisty creativity.
—David Hochman, Forbes, 19 Sep. 2024
In contrast to the movement’s ragtag AK47-totting freedom fighters, the moderate and urbane Ramos-Horta championed the Timor-Leste cause in foreign capitals and especially at the U.N.
—Charlie Campbell / Dili, Timor-Leste, TIME, 4 Sep. 2024
The classical-meets-country-house architecture offers a relaxed lifestyle fused with urbane glamour and a thoroughly modern slate of creature comforts.
—Mark David, Robb Report, 18 June 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near urbane
Cite this Entry
“Urbane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/urbane. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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