What's the difference between cordial and polite?

Cordial


Definition:

  • (a.) Proceeding from the heart.
  • (a.) Hearty; sincere; warm; affectionate.
  • (a.) Tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate; giving strength or spirits.
  • (n.) Anything that comforts, gladdens, and exhilarates.
  • (n.) Any invigorating and stimulating preparation; as, a peppermint cordial.
  • (n.) Aromatized and sweetened spirit, used as a beverage; a liqueur.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The low pH carbonated drink, coca-cola, and a blackcurrent cordial produced no effects.
  • (2) As the final whistle blew, Wenger, suddenly wreathed in smiles, hugged his staff, players and even Alan Pardew, a managerial rival with whom he has not always enjoyed the most cordial of technical area relations.
  • (3) The prime minister arrived in Brussels on Tuesday lunchtime for what was expected to be his final set-piece EU summit before he steps down promising that that UK would remain cordial in the exit talks.
  • (4) Non-carbonated, low-calorie soft drink concentrates (cordials), when diluted according to manufacturers' instructions, had significant antibacterial effects in vitro.
  • (5) On the surface, US-South African relations are cordial and have improved since the presidencies of George Bush and Thabo Mbeki, though Washington's intervention in Libya alienated many here.
  • (6) Naturally contaminated water can be rendered potable by incubation with cordials at room temperature for 1 h. This may be a way to reduce the risk of water-borne diarrhoea, particularly where the cleanliness of drinking waters cannot be otherwise assured, for example when making up oral rehydration fluids and for travellers in high-risk areas.
  • (7) Yet Clements still has to deal with the Sassenachs down at the ITV network centre on a weekly basis, saying that relationships are "on a professional and personal level very cordial".
  • (8) Both sides will inevitably stress the friendly, cordial nature of the Downing Street meeting, and Hollande's style is conciliatory and non-confrontational.
  • (9) The Canadian prime minister, Stephen Harper, who spoke on the phone with Marois in what was described as a "cordial first contact", said he was "angered and saddened" by the shooting.
  • (10) In the intervening year of can-kicking, you could argue that nothing's changed in terms of the options offered, from Brussels and Frankfurt, to Athens: they are still cordially enjoined to stick with the programme or leave the euro, and that programme is still one that nobody with a real choice would ever vote for.
  • (11) Cordiality, an easy intimacy with the Brazilian people and the game of football could only get a president so far.
  • (12) With allegations of cheap practice flying like left hooks around the Olympic boxing tournament, it took an Englishman and an Irishman to settle their legitimate sporting argument with admirable cordiality, Luke Campbell getting the better of John Joe Nevin to win Great Britain's 28th gold medal of the Games.
  • (13) A toast, marmalade optional, to Colin Firth, who has quit a film version of Paddington with a grace befitting this most cordial of bears.
  • (14) Coyle is a parliamentary newbie elected only in May, so we might cordially warn him and all those Labour and Conservative MPs who have shrieked about “bullying” that they spent this week in presentational danger of reducing a bombing campaign to what Alfred Hitchcock called a MacGuffin – “a plot device that motivates the characters and advances the story”, but which is often unimportant in itself.
  • (15) But it shouldn’t be too much to ask for cordial and businesslike relations to be established with Jewish groups.
  • (16) But it is understood that while Ivanovic appreciated the call, which was cordial, he stopped short of accepting the apology.
  • (17) After the event Crowley described the discussion as "cordial and positive".
  • (18) Last month, in a report of Sarkozy's visit to Berlin to discuss the Greek crisis, Der Spiegel wrote: "The welcome will once again appear very cordial… Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel will also work the cameras this time around … a kiss on the left cheek, a peck on the right one, smiles and waving.
  • (19) Alban said she held "cordial and constructive" talks with the government at the FCO.
  • (20) But experts say the public enthusiasm masks profound suspicions and even animosity and believe the behind-the-scenes conversations have the potential to be far less cordial.

Polite


Definition:

  • (v.) Smooth; polished.
  • (v.) Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil.
  • (v.) Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature.
  • (v. t.) To polish; to refine; to render polite.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) "Zayani reportedly cited the political sensitivity of naturalising Sunni expatriates and wanted to avoid provoking the opposition," the embassy said.
  • (2) Then a handful of organisers took a major bet on the power of people – calling for the largest climate change mobilisation in history to kick-start political momentum.
  • (3) A diplomatic source said the killing appeared particularly unusual because of Farooq lack of recent political activity: "He was lying low in the past two years.
  • (4) As May delivered her statement in the chamber, police helicopters hovered overhead and a police cordon remained in place around Westminster, but MPs from across the political spectrum were determined to show that they were continuing with business as usual.
  • (5) Anytime they feel parts of the Basic Law are not up to their current standards of political correctness, they will change it and tell Hong Kong courts to obey.
  • (6) I hope this movement will continue and spread for it has within itself the power to stand up to fascism, be victorious in the face of extremism and say no to oppressive political powers everywhere.” Appearing via videolink from Tehran, and joined by London mayor Sadiq Khan and Palme d’Or winner Mike Leigh, Farhadi said: “We are all citizens of the world and I will endeavour to protect and spread this unity.” The London screening of The Salesman on Sunday evening wasintended to be a show of unity and strength against Trump’s travel ban, which attempted to block arrivals in the US from seven predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen.
  • (7) Migrant voters are almost as numerous as current Ukip supporters but they are widely overlooked and risk being increasingly disaffected by mainstream politics and the fierce rhetoric around immigration caused partly by the rise of Ukip,” said Robert Ford from Manchester University, the report’s co-author.
  • (8) "There is … a risk that the political, trade, and gas frictions with Russia could lead to strong deterioration in economic relations between the two countries, with a significant drop in Ukraine's exports to and imports from Russia.
  • (9) Faisal Abu Shahla, a senior official in Fatah, an organisation responsible for a good deal of repression of its own when it was in power, accuses Hamas of holding 700 political prisoners in Gaza as part of a broad campaign to suppress dissent.
  • (10) Keep it in the ground campaign Though they draw on completely different archives, leaked documents, and interviews with ex-employees, they reach the same damning conclusion: Exxon knew all that there was to know about climate change decades ago, and instead of alerting the rest of us denied the science and obstructed the politics of global warming.
  • (11) If Cory Bernardi wasn’t currently in a period of radio silence as he contemplates his immediate political future he’d be all over this too, mining the Trumpocalypse – or in our domestic context, mining the fertile political fault line where Coalition support intersects with One Nation support.
  • (12) But Howard added that it may take a while and he is not confident the political reality will change.
  • (13) The size of Florida makes the kind of face-to-face politics of the earlier contests impossible, requiring instead huge ad spending.
  • (14) Nor is this political fantasy: at the European elections in May, across 51 authorities in the north-west and north-east, Ukip finished ahead of Labour in 18 and as its main rival in 30.
  • (15) Speaking to pro-market thinktank Reform, Milburn called for “more competition” and said the shadow health team were making a “fundamental political misjudgment” by attempting to roll back policies he had overseen.
  • (16) Just before Christmas the independent Kerslake report severely criticised Birmingham city council for its dysfunctional politics and, in particular, its handling of the so-called Trojan Horse affair, in which school governors were said to have set out to bring about an Islamic agenda into the curriculum contents and the day-to-day running of some schools.
  • (17) Ukip and the Greens are beneficiaries of this new political reality – as, arguably, is the SNP as it prepares to invade Labour’s heartland in Scotland next May.
  • (18) To safeguard its long-time regional ally, Iran gave full political, economic and military backing to the embattled Syrian president.
  • (19) What’s needed is manifesto commitments from all the main political parties to improve the help single homeless people are legally entitled to.
  • (20) Cameron, who faces intense political pressure from the UK Independence party in the runup to the 2014 European parliamentary elections, believes voters will need to be consulted if the EU agrees a major treaty revision in the next few years.