Well-behaved means acting politely and doing as asked. A well-behaved child, well-behaved dogs welcome, remarkably well-behaved.
It is used of children, dogs and occasionally crowds, and never of an adult without irony. In science the same phrase means something that follows the rules the mathematics expects.
1adjectivewell-behavedActing politely and doing as asked.
“The children were so well-behaved at the restaurant that the waiter praised them.”
well-behaved is a quality.
Well plus behaved, from behave, which is be plus have in the old sense of bearing oneself.
From well + behaved.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Family & People, Pets & Pet Care