Main Entry:

suave

Pronunciation:

\ˈswäv\

Function:

adjective

Inflected Form(s):

suav·er; suav·est

Etymology:

French, from Middle French, pleasant, sweet, from Latin suavis — more at sweet

Date:

1831

1 : smoothly though often superficially gracious and sophisticated 2 : smooth in texture, performance, or style

— suave·ly adverb

— suave·ness noun

— sua·vi·ty \ˈswä-və-tē\ noun

synonyms suave, urbane, diplomatic, bland, smooth, politic mean pleasantly tactful and well-mannered. suave suggests a specific ability to deal with others easily and without friction <a suave public relations coordinator>. urbane implies high cultivation and poise coming from wide social experience <an urbane traveler>. diplomatic stresses an ability to deal with ticklish situations tactfully <a diplomatic negotiator>. bland emphasizes mildness of manner and absence of irritating qualities <a bland master of ceremonies>. smooth suggests often a deliberately assumed suavity <a smooth salesman>. politic implies shrewd as well as tactful and suave handling of people <a cunningly politic manager>.