21 August 2016
urbane
[ur-beyn]
adjective
1. having the polish and suavity regarded as characteristic of sophisticated social life in major cities:
an urbane manner.
2. reflecting elegance, sophistication, etc., especially in expression:
He maintained an urbane tone in his letters.
Origin of urbane
Middle French, Latin
1525-1535; (< Middle French urbain) < Latin urbānus (see urban; for difference in stress and second syllable cf. human, humane )
Related forms
urbanely, adverb
urbaneness, noun
unurbane, adjective
unurbanely, adverb
Can be confused
urban, urbane.
Synonyms
1. suave, cosmopolitan.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for urbane
Contemporary Examples
As a passionate and urbane liberal, Obama bore more than a passing resemblance to JFK.
Be More Like Teddy
Reihan Salam
August 25, 2009
The year 2011 was particularly tough for the usually gracious and urbane president.
Hamid Karzai Tells The Daily Beast That U.S. Night Raids Must End
Ron Moreau, Sami Yousafzai
January 6, 2012
And menswear designer Michael Bastian created a world of gentlemen farmers and urbane dandies.
Designing for the One Percent at New York Fashion Week
Robin Givhan
February 13, 2012
He is, by all accounts, brilliant; a dashing, urbane go-getter who exudes charm.
This Scary-Smart New Minister of Economy Might Just Turn France Around
Tracy McNicoll
August 30, 2014
Historical Examples
Seated in state, on a sort of daïs in the centre of the room, was a courteous and urbane personage of affable exterior.
She and I, Volume 2
John Conroy Hutcheson
Lived at Athens in his “gardens,” an urbane and kindly, if somewhat useless, life.
Meditations
Marcus Aurelius
He is the most urbane and the most agreeably gossiping companion.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, March 4th 1914
Various
“You seem in haste, friends,” said the curate, with an urbane smile.
Hunted and Harried
R.M. Ballantyne
All comers were received with a hearty handshake and were entertained with urbane speeches.
A Dream of Empire
William Henry Venable
“I perfectly agree with you,” said the other, with an urbane bow.
Luttrell Of Arran
Charles James Lever
Anagram
are bun
Today’s quote
The historic ascent of humanity, taken as a whole, may be summarized as a succession of victories of consciousness over blind forces – in nature, in society, in man himself.
– Leon Trotsky
On this day
21 August 1940 – death of Leon Trotsky (Lev Davidovich Bronshtein). Russian Marxist revolutionary, Soviet politician, founder and first leader of the Red Army. Major figure in the Bolshevik victory during the Russian Civil War. After the Russian Revolution Trotsky became the People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs. He was opposed to Joseph Stalin. He was expelled from the Communist Party in November 1927 and deported from the Soviet Union in 1929. Trotsky relocated to Mexico where he continued his opposition to Stalin. Trotsky was assassinated by ice-pick wielding Rámon Mercader in Mexico on the orders of Stalin. Trotskyism is a form of Marxism which is based on Trotsky’s ideas and opposed to Stalinism. Born 7 November 1879.
21 August 1970 – birth of Fred Durst, American rock vocalist with Limp Bizkit.
21 August – International Day of Lucid Dreaming. For further information check out this podcast on ABC radio