comity

From Late Middle English comite (“association”), from Latin cōmitās.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɒmɪti/

  • Audio (Southern England):

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  • Audio (General American):

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• Homophone: comedy (t-flapping)

comity (countable and uncountable, plural comities)

1. Courtesy and considerate behaviour towards others; social harmony.
   • 1994, Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, Abacus, published 2010, page 96:

     There, I saw not only flare-ups of ethnic animosity, but the comity that was also possible among men of different backgrounds.

   • 2025 October 4, Maureen Dowd, “When A.I. Came for Hollywood”, in The New York Times‎^[1], New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:

     The app [OpenAI's Sora] will further erode truth, and comity.

     (Can we archive this URL?)

2. Friendly understanding and mutual recognition between two entities, especially nations.
   • 2007 January 5, Jonathan Weisman, “Democrats Take Control on Hill”, in The Washington Post‎^[2]:

     Democrats took control of the House and Senate after 12 years of nearly unbroken Republican rule, with resolute calls for bipartisan comity and a pledge to move quickly on an agenda of health care, homeland security, education and energy proposals.

• frith

• myotic