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gracious - 4 dictionary results

gra⋅cious

  [grey-shuhs]
Use gracious in a Sentence
–adjective
1. pleasantly kind, benevolent, and courteous.
2. characterized by good taste, comfort, ease, or luxury: gracious suburban living; a gracious home.
3. indulgent or beneficent in a pleasantly condescending way, esp. to inferiors.
4. merciful or compassionate: our gracious king.
5. Obsolete. fortunate or happy.
–interjection
6. (used as an exclamation of surprise, relief, dismay, etc.)
Origin:
1250–1300; ME gracious < OF < L grātiōsus amiable, equiv. to grāti(a) grace + -ōsus -ous

Related forms:
gra⋅cious⋅ly, adverb
gra⋅cious⋅ness, gra⋅ci⋅os⋅i⋅ty  [grey-shee-os-i-tee] , noun

Synonyms:
1. benign, friendly, favorable, polite. See kind 1 . 4. tender, clement, mild, gentle.

Antonyms:
1. churlish. 4. cruel.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To gracious
gra·cious   (grā'shəs)   
adj.  
  1. Characterized by kindness and warm courtesy.
  2. Characterized by tact and propriety: responded to the insult with gracious humor.
  3. Of a merciful or compassionate nature.
  4. Condescendingly courteous; indulgent.
  5. Characterized by charm or beauty; graceful.
  6. Characterized by elegance and good taste: gracious living.
  7. Archaic Enjoying favor or grace; acceptable or pleasing.
interj.  Used to express surprise or mild emotion.

[Middle English, from Old French gracieus, from Latin grātiōsus, from grātia, good will; see grace.]
gra'cious·ly adv., gra'cious·ness n.
Synonyms: These adjectives mean marked by kindness, sympathy, and unaffected politeness: gracious to visitors; a cordial welcome; a genial guest; enjoyed a sociable chat.
Antonym: ungracious
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Gracious

Gra"cious\, a. [F. gracieux, L. gratiosus. See Grace.]

1. Abounding in grace or mercy; manifesting love,. or bestowing mercy; characterized by grace; beneficent; merciful; disposed to show kindness or favor; condescending; as, his most gracious majesty.

A god ready to pardon, gracious and merciful. --Neh. ix. 17.

So hallowed and so gracious in the time. --Shak.

2. Abounding in beauty, loveliness, or amiability; graceful; excellent.

Since the birth of Cain, the first male child, . . . There was not such a gracious creature born. --Shak.

3. Produced by divine grace; influenced or controlled by the divine influence; as, gracious affections.

Syn: Favorable; kind; benevolent; friendly; beneficent; benignant; merciful.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : gracious
Spanish: cortés, educado,
German: wohlwollend,
Japanese: 優しい
More Translations »

gracious

see goodness gracious.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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