urbānĭtas — Lewis & Short
urbānĭtas, ātis, f.id.,
I a living in a city, city life.
I Lit.:
desideria urbis et urbanitatis,Cic. Fam. 7, 6, 1:
in urbis urbanitatisque desiderio,id. ib. 7, 17, 1.—
II Transf., city fashion, city manners, both in a good and in a bad sense.
A In a good sense.
1 Refinement, elegance of manner, politeness, courtesy, affability, urbanity:
addo urbanitatem, quae est virtus, ut Stoici rectissime putant,Cic. Fam. 3, 7, 5.—
2 Refinement, delicacy, or elegance of speech:
urbanitate quādam quasi colorata oratio,Cic. Brut. 46, 170; cf. Quint. 6, 3, 17 (opp. rusticitas); 6, 3, 103 sq.—
b In partic., wit, humor, pleasantry, raillery: contumelia si petulantius jactatur, convicium;
si facetius, urbanitas nominatur,Cic. Cael. 3, 6:
in quantam hominum facetorum urbanitatem incurratis, non dico,id. Fin. 2, 31, 103:
ut aliquando subtilitatem veteris urbanitatis et humanissimi sermonis attingerem,id. Q. Fr. 2, 10, 2:
vides exaruisse jam veterem urbanitatem,id. Fam. 7, 31, 2:
mancipiorum urbanitas in dominos contumeliosa,Sen. Const. 11, 3:
in jocis,Quint. 2, 5, 8:
oratoria,id. 6, 3, 14:
risus si aptus est, urbanitatis nomen adsequitur,id. 8, 6, 74; 10, 1, 115.—
B In a bad sense, trickery, roguery, knavery:
incuriosos milites (vernaculā utebantur urbanitate) quidam spoliavere,Tac. H. 2, 88; so,
vernula,Petr. 24.