polish

1 of 4

verb

pol·​ish ˈpä-lish 

polished; polishing; polishes

transitive verb

1

: to make smooth and glossy usually by friction : burnish

2

: to smooth, soften, or refine in manners or condition

3

: to bring to a highly developed, finished, or refined state : perfect

intransitive verb

: to become smooth or glossy by or as if by friction

polisher noun

polish

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

a

: a smooth glossy surface : luster

b

somewhat old-fashioned : freedom from rudeness or coarseness : culture

c

: a state of high development or refinement

The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.

2

: the action or process of polishing

3

: a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface

furniture polish

nail polish

Polish

3 of 4

adjective

Pol·​ish ˈpō-lish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4

noun (2)

: the Slavic language of the Poles

Synonyms of polish

Verb

• rub
• smooth
• shine
• coat
• gloss

Noun (1)

• accomplishment
• refinement
• culture
• education
• civilization
• knowledge
• cultivation
• literacy
• manners

Examples of polish in a Sentence

Verb

He spent the summer polishing his math skills.

you'll need to polish your shoes with a clean rag before the performance

Noun (1)

I need more shoe polish.

Did you use a wax polish on the table or an oil-based one?

The movie has the polish we've come to expect from that director.

He's rude and lacks polish.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Set near the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the restaurant delivers scale, confidence, and polish without falling into the usual steakhouse performance. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

The investment of time and money put into excavating and polishing a skeleton such as Gus would not be possible, according to Hatton, without the prospect of a high-value sale. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 13 July 2026

Noun

There is polish refined by confidence that lets the restaurant stay grounded while still delivering at a high level. — Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 13 July 2026

Every painting is a model of academic crispness and polish, filled with visual cues and prearranged emotional payoffs. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 13 July 2026

Adjective

The Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who served as the European Council’s president, urged maximum understanding for Zelensky. — Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026

Alatáriel Marie There have been many famous Maries through history, but perhaps the most heroic of them all was Marie Curie, a Polish-French physicist and chemist, who conducted groundbreaking, Nobel Prize winning research on radioactivity. — Taylor Grothe, Parents, 10 Apr. 2026

Noun

The show, which is a talk/music show, discusses Polish culture. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026

The best way to get jelly nails at home is to use Korean gel polish, like the GAOY Jelly Gel Nail Polish Kit. — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 2 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English polisshen, from Anglo-French poliss-, stem of polir, from Latin polire

Adjective

Pole

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Adjective

1592, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1555, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing polish

• apple-polish
• French polish
• nail polish
• polish off
• spit and polish
• take a high polish
• to a polish

Rhymes for polish

• gaulish
• smallish
• abolish
• demolish

Kids Definition

polish

1 of 4 verb

pol·​ish ˈpäl-ish 

1

: to make smooth and glossy usually by rubbing

2

: to smooth or improve in manners, condition, or style

3

: to bring to a highly developed or finished state

polish a technique

polisher noun

polish

2 of 4 noun

1

a

: a smooth glossy surface : luster

b

: good manners : refinement

2

: the action or process of polishing

3

: a substance prepared for use in polishing

shoe polish

nail polish

Polish

3 of 4 adjective

Pol·​ish ˈpō-lish 

: of, relating to, or characteristic of Poland, the Poles, or Polish

Polish

4 of 4 noun

: the Slavic language of the Poles