comity

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noun co·mi·ty \ ˈkä-mə-tē , ˈkō- \

Definition of comity

plural comities

1 a :friendly social atmosphere :social harmony

group activities promoting comity

bipartisan comity in the Senate

b :a loose widespread community based on common social institutions

the comity of civilization

c :comity of nations

trans-Atlantic comity

d :the informal and voluntary recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of another

2 :avoidance of proselytizing members of another religious denomination

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Examples of comity in a Sentence

the comity that has always existed among the town's houses of worship

Recent Examples of comity from the Web

While a battle of ideas can lead to sharper thinking, the effort to retaliate against a person for holding a set of beliefs can inflame social tensions and undermine civic comity.

— fred bauer, National Review, "Rebuilding the Public Square after Charlottesville," 18 Aug. 2017
Plus, the Senate is a body of comity and tradition.

— chad pergram, Fox News, "McCain's absence exposes McConnell's shaky health vote math," 17 July 2017
At a gathering of the Group of 20 world economic powers - normally a venue for drab displays of international comity - there were tough clashes with the United States and even talk of a possible transatlantic trade war.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "At G-20, world aligns against Trump policies from free trade to climate change," 8 July 2017
At a gathering of the Group of 20 world economic powers - normally a venue for drab displays of international comity - there were tough clashes with the United States and even talk of a possible transatlantic trade war.

— the washington post, NOLA.com, "At G-20, world aligns against Trump policies from free trade to climate change," 8 July 2017
At a gathering of the Group of 20 world economic powers - normally a venue for drab displays of international comity - there were tough clashes with the United States and even talk of a possible transatlantic trade war.

— michael birnbaum, chicagotribune.com, "At G-20, world aligns against Trump policies ranging from free trade to climate change," 7 July 2017
At a gathering of the Group of 20 world economic powers - normally a venue for drab displays of international comity - there were tough clashes with the United States and even talk of a possible transatlantic trade war.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "At G-20, world aligns against Trump policies from free trade to climate change," 7 July 2017
At a gathering of the Group of 20 world economic powers - normally a venue for drab displays of international comity - there were tough clashes with the United States and even talk of a possible transatlantic trade war.

— the washington post, cleveland.com, "At G-20, world aligns against Trump policies from free trade to climate change," 7 July 2017
That was clear most recently in the moments of grace and comity that followed the horrible shooting incident targeting Republican members of Congress who were practicing for an interparty baseball game.

— robert d. atkinson, The Christian Science Monitor, "Can we restore civility to Washington policy debates?," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'comity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Did You Know?

Our country soweth also in the field of our breasts many precious seeds, as … honest behavior, affability, comity, wrote English clergyman Thomas Becon in 1543. Becon's use is the earliest documented appearance of comity - a word derived from Latin comitas, meaning "courteousness" (and probably related to the Sanskrit word for "he smiles"). Comity is largely used in political and judicial contexts. Since 1862 comity of nations has referred to countries bound by a courteous relationship based on mutual recognition of executive, legislative, and judicial acts. And, in legal contexts, comity refers to the recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of another.

Origin and Etymology of comity

Latin comitat-, comitas, from comis courteous, probably from Old Latin cosmis, from com- + -smis (akin to Sanskrit smayate he smiles) — more at smile

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First Known Use: 1543

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comity Synonyms

Synonyms

chime, harmony, compatibility, concord, peace

Antonyms

conflict, discord, dissension (also dissention), variance

Near Antonyms

antagonism, antipathy, enmity, hatred, hostility, unfriendliness; alienation, breach, divorce, estrangement, rupture, schism, scission, severance; dissent, dissidence; anarchy, disorder, disturbance, strife, turmoil

Law Dictionary

comity

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noun co·mi·ty \ ˈkä-mə-tē, ˈkō- \

legal Definition of comity

1 :comity of nations

2 :the informal and voluntary recognition by courts of one jurisdiction of the laws and judicial decisions of another — called also judicial comity; compare choice of law, federalism, full faith and credit