From Latin 'urbanus' (of the city, refined) — its doublet 'urbane' preserves the older sense of sophistication.
Of, relating to, or characteristic of a town or city; living in a city.
From Latin 'urbānus' (of or belonging to a city, polished, refined, witty — contrasted with 'rūsticus,' rural or boorish), from 'urbs' (a city, specifically a walled city, the city par excellence being Rome). The PIE etymology of 'urbs' is debated: one proposal connects it to *h₁erbʰ- or *orbʰ-o- (separation, orphan — a bounded-off area), but it may be a pre-Latin substrate word. What is clear is that for Romans 'urbs' was virtually synonymous
In Latin, 'urbānus' meant not just 'of the city' but 'sophisticated, witty, polished' — the qualities Romans associated with city life as opposed to rustic country manners. English preserves this double meaning in two different words: 'urban' (of the city, neutral) and 'urbane' (sophisticated, elegant, a compliment). The split reveals an ancient prejudice
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