poli

Forms

poli (feminine polie, masculine plural polis, feminine plural polies)^[1]

Etymology

It is the past participle from French polir used as an adjective, its figurative senses shaped by Latin polītus (“smooth, polished, refined”).^[2][3][4] The TLFi derives it straight from the Latin participle, which already meant "smooth, shining", "cultivated" and, of style, "polished",^[5] and Wiktionary likewise calls it inherited from Latin.^[1] The verb is from Latin poliō (“to smooth, polish”).^[4]

The same Latin influence shows in Italian polito and Italian pulito "clean, spotless" and in Old Occitan polit "well chosen", said of words.^[5][4] The modern sense "courteous" came under the influence of politesse.^[5][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Around 1160 the Roman d'Eneas uses it in the concrete sense of “smooth, even, shining”.^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

Under the influence of Latin politus the adjective took figurative senses early: “carefully chosen”, of words, in Chrétien de Troyes's Perceval (1172–1190), and “elegant, well dressed”, of a person, about 1190.^[5][4] Montaigne used it in 1580 for a person bearing the marks of culture and good breeding, and Bossuet in 1681 for a civilized people or country.^[5][4]

These senses gradually aged as the word followed politesse: the Académie defined it in 1694 as gentle, civil and obliging, and the modern sense “behaving according to the rules of good manners” prevailed.^[5][4] The concrete participle was also made a noun, le poli, for the lustre of a polished surface, dated 1576 by the Petit Robert and 1612 by the Grand Robert.^[3][2][4] The opposites mal poli (1636) and impoli grew up beside it.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 1160 – The Roman d'Eneas uses it for “smooth, shining”.^[5][4]
• 1172–1190 – Chrétien de Troyes uses it of carefully chosen words.^[5]
• c. 1190 – It means “elegant, well dressed”, of a person.^[4]
• 1576 – First record of the noun le poli.^[3][4]
• 1580 – Montaigne uses it for “cultivated, well-bred”.^[5][2]
• 1636 – Mal poli appears.^[4]
• 1681 – Bossuet applies it to a civilized people.^[5]
• 1694 – The Académie defines it as civil and obliging.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Polite, courteous: behaving according to the rules of good manners.^[3][5]
2. Trop poli pour être honnête: so overly courteous that one suspects an intention to deceive.^[3][5]
3. Made smooth and shining, especially by rubbing.^[6][7]
4. (dated) Cultivated, refined, civilized.^[3][5]

Noun

1. The lustre or polish of a smooth, shining surface.^[3][1]

Word family

• poliment
• impoli
• malpoli

Related words

• politesse
• polir
• Latin polītus

Usage notes

The playful reproach sois poli si t'es pas joli is recorded by the TLFi and the Petit Robert.^[5][3]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
6. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette