suavitude

English

Etymology

From Latin suāvitūdō.

Noun

suavitude (uncountable)

1. Sweetness, pleasantness; suavity.
   • 1512, The History of Helyas, Knight of the Swan, London: William Pickering, published 1827, page 35:

     And than the good hermite knewe clerely that God had vertously sent her for the nourisshing and sustentation of the poore litle children that he had founden, wherof he thanked God greatly of his divine savitude.

   • c. 1550, Iohne Rolland, edited by Walter Gregor, Ane Treatise Callit The Court of Venus: Deuidit Into Four Buikis, Edinburgh, London: […] for the [Scottish Text] Society by William Blackwood and Sons, published 1884, page 104, lines 721–729:

     And swa thairfor to count ȝow line be line, / was IESVS borne Goddis verray sone deuine: / Quhilk ransonit vs with his precious hart blude / And sa to bring my argument to fine, / I can not find in luif na time to tine, / Boc mixt with mirth, mercie, and manswetude, / Plenist with sport, and sueit suauitude, / Repleit with playis but pouertie or pine, / Vell of worschip, the port of pulchritude.

   • 1859 March 15, The Daily News, number 4,004, London, page 4:

     We cannot escape an impatient regret at the waste of so much unexceptionable suavitude of deportment and strength of counsel.

   • (Can we date this quote?), The Chameleon, page 5:

     With his usual suavitude he would, therefore, give the City Improvements, and Mr. Farquhar.

   • 1928, James Jenkins, Tambo, pages 206 and 215:

     After the death of the virgin it was noticed that the rings of these chains exhaled a fragrance of extraordinary suavitude. […] Already she was savoring with anticipation the very sweet and sovereign torrent of divine suavitude.

   • 2012, Donald Greig, Time Will Tell, Thames River Press, →ISBN, page 58:

     Though not possessed of the sweetest voice, I was quick with my studies, of sound memory, and was able to cantare super librum [improvise] with more certainty than many others. What I lacked in suavitude, I compensated for with application. When my voice broke, it was clear that I could no longer sing any of the high notes and so I developed the ability to sing en fausset [falsetto].

2. The quality of being charming, elegant and confident; suaveness.
   • 1986 May, “Spins”, in Spin, volume two, number two, page 31:

     Suavitude galore is served on volumes five and six, with plenty o’ Memphis-carved grits by Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Lady Aretha, Sam and Dave, Percy Sledge, and Joe Tex.

   • 1998, Matt Steinglass, Disney's Doug, Episode #60, "Doug Plays Cupid" (script # 19A04-026), Jumbo Pictures, Inc., page 9:

     Look Funnie, girls like Beebe want to be blown away by wealth and suavitude!

   • 1998 June 5, LA Weekly, volume 20, number 28, page 141:

     Sharp suits, granite jaw and that unbelievable pile of jet-black hair — [Steve] McGarrett seemed the last bastion of true suavitude in a world of disheveled Columbos, obese Cannons and arthritic Barnaby Joneses.

   • 2000 September 7, Tony Gabriele, “Suavitude boost is a side-effect of handkerchief”, in Daily Press, page D1:

     Suavitude boost is a side-effect of handkerchief / If I seem a bit more suave and debonair these days, folks, if I have that certain aura of Cary Grant or David Niven about me, there’s a good reason.

   • 2001 August 22, Kathleen Stebbins, “Martinis are back in style — if you don’t mind the guilt”, in Reno Gazette-Journal, page 2G:

     It’s impossible to move a shallow, triangular martini glass quickly in any direction without sloshing wildly, revealing your pathetic lack of suavitude to all.

   • 2008 September 17, Kimberly Chun, “No castaways here: We drool over these Treasure Island jewels”, in The San Francisco Bay Guardian, volume 42, number 51, section “Mike Relm”, page 28:

     With Reservoir Dogs–like skinny-tie suavitude and fleet fingers on his editing gear, the SF mix-maestro mashes up songs and sights with the smarts of a pop-cultie compulsive.