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Make Your Point > Archived Issues > COMITY

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pronounce COMITY:

KOMM uh tee
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connect this word to others:

As we check out the peaceful little word comity, see if you can recall a close synonym of it: Also from Latin, __ity is the peaceful, respectful love between two nations.

(To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)  

definition:

"Comity" traces back through French to the Latin comitas, "kindness, friendliness, courtesy," which might go back further to roots that literally mean "smiling with."

In English, since the 1500s, we've used "comity" to mean "kindness, friendliness, courtesy: the practice of treating others with thoughtful warmth, respect, and consideration."

In the early 1800s, the meaning of "comity" narrowed into the one we use most often today: "the kindness, friendliness, and courtesy that exists between two or more people or groups, very often countries."

grammatical bits:

Part of speech:

Noun, the uncountable kind: "the comity between them;" "They had to maintain social comity."

Other forms: 

None.

how to use it:

The word "comity" is ultra-formal and semi-common. Pick it when you want to sound dignified as you label the good-spirited relationship between two or more countries or other groups.

Talk about the comity between or among some particular groups.

You might get more specific and talk about, say, international comity, bipartisan political comity, or neighborly comity.

And you might refer to some action or decision as a plea for comity, an insistence on comity, or a sign or signal of comity.

examples:

"Etiquette absolutely prohibits swatting away hands that have been inserted into closing [elevator] doors — for reasons of both social comity and safety."  
  — Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin and Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 7 March 2018

"[In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a Klingon ambassador named Dak’Rah] represents proof of comity's power over conflict even in someone born into a culture that prizes war." 
   — Melanie McFarland, Salon, 27 July 2023

has this page helped you understand "comity"?

   

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.


study it:

Explain the meaning of "comity" without saying "harmony" or "civility."

try it out:

Here's a heartwarming example of comity.

According to Salon, during the Olympics, the musician Flavor Flav helped the "discus thrower Veronica Fraley pay her rent," a generous move that seemed in keeping with "the Games' spirit of comity."

With that in mind as an example, could you describe another gesture that's done in the spirit of comity? Something that suggests that, as humans who come from different backgrounds, we're all still willing to take care of each other?




before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game this month is "Words On Words On Birds."

Use your knowledge of vocabulary to answer questions about the terminology describing names for birds.

Try this today:

Which term signifies that a bird's scientific name is uncertain or unidentifiable?

A. nomen conservandum
B. nomen dubium
C. nomen nudum
D. nomen oblitum

Need a hint? Highlight the hidden text: Think of the meaning of words like "conserve," "dubious," "nude," and "obliterate.".

To see the answer, scroll all the way down. 

review this word:

1. The opposite of COMITY is

A. DRAMA.
B. HOSTILITY.
C. EVASIVENESS.

2. Roger Angell described a certain U.S. president as _____, and overall "deprived of comity.

A. bold, complex, progressive, likeable
B. quotable, upright, forthright, at times as cold as ice
C. rude, obtuse, likely to take any disagreement personally




Answers to the review questions:
1. B
2. C

From the game:

Which term signifies that a bird's scientific name is uncertain or unidentifiable?

A. nomen conservandum
B. "nomen dubium" is the correct answer.
C. nomen nudum
D. nomen oblitum

That would be a "dubious" name: one that can't be easily identified. "Nomen oblitum" is a good guess, but that one means "a forgotten name." A "nomen conservandum" is a conserved name in the sense that we keep it around and still use it even though it violates new rules, and a "nomen nudum" is a bare name in the sense that it doesn't have the "dressing" of a formal, scientifically accepted name.


a final word:


I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love.

I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.


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A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.

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