urbane

Where does the word "urbane" come from? It comes from Latin urbs, passing through Latin before entering English (1500s).

Urbane’s story begins in Latin: urbs meant “city.” City, giving rise to urbanus (of the city, sophisticated). Within Latin, it grew into urbanus by ancient. Of the city, refined in manner, from urbs. It reached English by 1500s as urbane. Settled as the English word for someone courteous and refined in manner. Today, urbane means suave, courteous, and refined in manner, especially due to wide social experience.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient urbs "city", city, giving rise to urbanus (of the city, sophisticated).
2. Stage 2 · Latin · ancient urbanus "of the city, refined in manner", of the city, refined in manner, from urbs.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1500s urbane "courteous and refined in manner, especially due to worldly experience", settled as the English word for someone courteous and refined in manner.