/ ˈplezntri; NAmE / noun
[ usually pl. ] ( pl. -ies ) ( formal ) a friendly remark made in order to be polite :
After exchanging the usual pleasantries, they got down to serious discussion.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from French plaisanterie , from Old French plaisant pleasing, from the verb plaisir , from Latin placere .