Polite vs. Friendly

Polite vs. Friendly — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Polite and Friendly

Politeadjective

Well-mannered, civilized.

It's not polite to use a mobile phone in a restaurant.

Friendlyadjective

Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character.

Your cat seems very friendly.

Politeadjective

(obsolete) Smooth, polished, burnished.

Friendlyadjective

Inviting, characteristic of friendliness.

He gave a friendly smile.

Politeverb

To polish; to refine; to render polite.

Friendlyadjective

Having an easy or accepting relationship with something.

a user-friendly software programa dog-friendly caféthe use of environmentally friendly packaging
ADVERTISEMENT

Politeadjective

showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.

Friendlyadjective

Without any hostility.

a friendly competitiona friendly power or state

Politeadjective

marked by refinement in taste and manners;

cultivated speechcultured Bostonianscultured tastesa genteel old ladypolite society

Friendlyadjective

Promoting the good of any person; favourable; propitious.

a friendly breeze or gale

Politeadjective

not rude; marked by satisfactory (or especially minimal) adherence to social usages and sufficient but not noteworthy consideration for others;

even if he didn't like them he should have been civil

Friendlyadjective

(military) Of or pertaining to friendlies (friendly noun sense 2, below). Also applied to other bipolar confrontations, such as team sports

The soldier was killed by friendly fire.
ADVERTISEMENT

Friendlyadjective

(number theory) Being or relating to two or more natural numbers with a common abundancy.

friendly numbers;friendly pairs;friendly n-tuples

Friendlyadjective

(in compounds) Not damaging to, or compatible with (the compounded noun)

The cobbled streets aren't very bike-friendly.Organic farms only use soil-friendly fertilisers.Our sandwiches are made with dolphin-friendly tuna.

Friendlynoun

(sports) A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting etc.

Even as friendlies, derbies often arouse strong emotions

Friendlynoun

A person or entity on the same side in a conflict.

Friendlyadverb

(archaic) In a friendly manner, like a friend.

Friendlyadjective

characteristic of or befitting a friend;

friendly advicea friendly neighborhoodthe only friendly person herea friendly host and hostess

Friendlyadjective

favorably disposed; not antagonistic or hostile;

a government friendly to our interestsan amicable agreement

Friendlyadjective

easy to understand or use;

user-friendly computersa consumer-friendly policya reader-friendly novel

Friendlyadjective

of or belonging to your own country's forces or those of an ally;

in friendly territoryhe was accidentally killed by friendly fire