taarof

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Datamuse reports no synonyms or antonyms for this word.

Noun

1. The intricate {{l|en|Persian}} system of {{l|en|etiquette}} and {{l|en|good manners}}, emphasising extreme {{l|en|deference}}, {{l|en|humility}}, and {{l|en|respect}}, especially in politely declining to do something (quote a price on something one is selling, eat more food, etc) so that another person can talk one into it.
2. A cultural communication style of indirect competitive flattery, generally of Middle Eastern origin.

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.