suavity
SWAH-vih-tee
/ˈswɑːvəti/
The quality of being charming, confident, and elegant.
Suavity often implies a smooth, polished social manner that can sometimes feel slightly artificial or 'too' perfect.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'suavis,' meaning 'sweet.' It originally described things that were pleasant to the senses, like a sweet smell, before moving to describe a 'sweet' or smooth social manner.
Word relationships
- urbanity: Urbanity is the sophistication of city life; suavity is the smooth manner that comes with it.
- boorishness: Boorishness is being rude, clumsy, and unrefined.
Commonly confused with
- sincerity: Sincerity is being honest; suavity is being smooth (one can be both, but suavity is about the surface).
Word family
- suave (adjective): Charming, confident, and elegant.
Collocations
- characteristic suavity
- polished suavity
- social suavity
Example sentences
- "The secret agent was known for his suavity, moving through the high-society gala with effortless grace." Describing a sophisticated character.
- "His suavity was so practiced that many voters found it difficult to trust his sincerity." A critique of a politician's manner.
Memory hook
A 'suave' person is 'smooth' and 'sweet.' Sweetly smooth.
When not to use
Don't use it for rugged or down-to-earth charm; it is specifically about urbanity and polish.
Fun facts
- The word 'persuade' also comes from the 'suavis' root—to persuade someone is to make a course of action 'sweet' to them.
Related words
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