Comity
n.calm, kindformal
What it means
Mutual courtesy and goodwill between people, groups, or institutions.
Reach for it when naming civil relations that allow cooperation despite differences
The councils restored comity by publishing the disputed records together.
Choose between these
6- everyday
mutual respect
reciprocal regard should be explicit
not when Respect can coexist with strained relations and little goodwill.
- warm
friendly intention supports better relations
not when Goodwill is an attitude and may exist without reciprocal courtesy.
- warm
relations proceed without noticeable discord
not when Harmony suggests deeper agreement than comity requires.
- professional
respectful conduct continues despite disagreement
not when Civility can be one-sided and emotionally cold.
- formal
polite consideration governs interaction
not when Courtesy may be conventional and need not be mutual or sincere.
- literary
peaceful friendship between groups suits elevated prose
not when Amity is warmer and closer to friendship than institutional comity.
Said against
3- hostility
- discord
- acrimony
It naturally appears in
3- international comity
International comity supported cooperation without creating a binding treaty.
- spirit of comity
The hearing proceeded in a spirit of comity and firm disagreement.
- restore comity
A joint correction helped restore comity between the two boards.
Where this comes from
In law, comity can refer specifically to one jurisdiction recognizing another's acts; this record covers the broader goodwill sense.
- merriam-webster, noun sense 1 opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.