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>.