cordial
Warm and friendly in a polite, sometimes formal way
Examples
In a meeting
“Despite the disagreement, they maintained a cordial working relationship.”
Over coffee
“We're not close friends, but we're cordial when we run into each other.”
Why this word
friendly
Cordial suggests warm politeness and graciousness, often in formal contexts, while friendly is more casual
polite
Cordial conveys genuine warmth beyond mere courtesy, while polite can be cold correctness
nice
Cordial is more formal and suggests sincere warmth, while nice is vague and informal
Usage tip
Use to describe polite warmth that may lack deep intimacy. Often describes professional relationships or interactions after conflict resolution.
Etymology
Latin 'cordialis' (of the heart) from 'cor' (heart)
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