What does courtesy mean?

Definitions for courtesy
ˈkɜr tə si or, for 5 , ˈkɜrt sicour·tesy

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word courtesy.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. courtesynoun

    a courteous or respectful or considerate act

  2. courtesynoun

    a courteous or respectful or considerate remark

  3. courtesy, good mannersnoun

    a courteous manner

Wiktionary

  1. courtesynoun

    Polite behavior.

    Please extend them the courtesy of your presence.

  2. courtesynoun

    A polite gesture or remark.

    I offered them a ride simply as a courtesy.

  3. courtesynoun

    Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.

    They call this pond a lake by courtesy only.

  4. courtesynoun

    Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.

    They received free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.

  5. courtesyadjective

    Given or done as a polite gesture.

    We paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.

  6. courtesyadjective

    Free of charge.

    The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.

  7. Etymology: From curtesie, from curtesie, from curteis, from cortois, from cortensis. \

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Courtesynoun

    Etymology: courtoisie, Fr. cortesia, Italian.

    Sir, you are very welcome to our house; It must appear in other ways than words,
    Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy. William Shakespeare, Merch. of Ven.

    Who have seen his estate, his hospitality, his courtesy to strangers. Henry Peacham.

    He, who was compounded of all the elements of affability and courtesy towards all kind of people, brought himself to a habit of neglect, and even of rudeness, towards the queen. Edward Hyde.

    So gentle of condition was he known,
    That through the court his courtesy was blown. John Dryden, Fab.

    Fair sir, you spit on me last Wednesday;
    You spurn’d me such a day; another time
    You call’d me dog; and for these courtesies,
    I’ll lend you thus much money. William Shakespeare, Merchant of Venice.

    Repose you there, while I to the hard house
    Return, and force their scanted courtesy. William Shakespeare, K. Lear.

    When I was last at Exeter,
    The mayor in courtesy shew’d me the castle. William Shakespeare, R. III.

    Sound all the lofty instruments of war,
    And by that musick let us all embrace;
    For heav’n to earth some of us never shall
    A second time do such a courtesy. William Shakespeare, Henry IV.

    Other states, assuredly, cannot be justly accused for not staying for the first blow; or for not accepting Polyphemus’s courtesy, to be the last that shall be eaten up. Francis Bacon.

    Some country girl, scarce to a court’sy bred,
    Would I much rather than Cornelia wed;
    If, supercilious, haughty, proud and vain,
    She brought her father’s triumphs in her train. John Dryden, Juven.

    The poor creature was as full of courtesies as if I had been her godmother: the truth on’t is, I endeavoured to make her look something Christian-like. William Congreve, Old Batchelor.

  2. To Courtesyverb

    Etymology: from the noun.

    Toby approaches, and court’sies there to me. William Shakespeare.

    The petty traffickers,
    That court’sy to them, do them reverence. William Shakespeare.

    If I should meet her in my way,
    We hardly court’sy to each other. Matthew Prior.

Wikipedia

  1. Courtesy

    Courtesy (from the word courteis, from the 12th century) is gentle politeness and courtly manners. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the behaviour expected of the nobility was compiled in courtesy books.

ChatGPT

  1. courtesy

    Courtesy is a polite and considerate behavior displayed towards others, often involving showing respect, kindness, and good manners. It involves being aware of and attending to the needs and feelings of others, while actively promoting a pleasant and harmonious environment in social interactions.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Courtesynoun

    politeness; civility; urbanity; courtliness

  2. Courtesynoun

    an act of civility or respect; an act of kindness or favor performed with politeness

  3. Courtesynoun

    favor or indulgence, as distinguished from right; as, a title given one by courtesy

  4. Courtesynoun

    an act of civility, respect, or reverence, made by women, consisting of a slight depression or dropping of the body, with bending of the knees

  5. Courtesyverb

    to make a respectful salutation or movement of respect; esp. (with reference to women), to bow the body slightly, with bending of the knes

  6. Courtesyverb

    to treat with civility

  7. Etymology: [See the preceding word.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Courtesy

    kort′e-si, or kurt′e-si, n. courtliness: elegance of manner: an act of civility or respect: a curtsy: (law) the life interest which the surviving husband has in the real or heritable estate of his wife.—v.i. to make a curtsy.—pr.p. court′esying; pa.p. court′esied.—n.pl. Court′esy-tī′tles, titles really invalid, but allowed by the usage of society—as to children of peers. [O. Fr. courtoisie.]

The Roycroft Dictionary

  1. courtesy

    1. The court clothes of any two-legged predatory animal. 2. The oil that makes a juggernaut noiseless.

Matched Categories

British National Corpus

  1. Nouns Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'courtesy' in Nouns Frequency: #2833

How to pronounce courtesy?

How to say courtesy in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of courtesy in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of courtesy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of courtesy in a Sentence

  1. Chuck Negron:

    He came to visit and told me, ‘Chuck, you have to pray and you have to ask for the acceptance of God’s will in your life’, … I fell asleep in the middle of a horrific withdrawal… But there is no sleep really because your body is just aching, it’s electric… [But] when I woke up, the obsession was gone. And I knew God had helped me. Chuck Negron performing today. (Courtesy of Chuck Negron) I believe God came and did for me what I couldn’t do for myself and relieved me from the bondage of addiction… I knew God had helped me. From that time on my faith grew stronger and stronger. It changed my life.

  2. Edith Hamilton:

    Civilization...is a matter of imponderables, of delight in the thins of the mind, of love of beauty, of honor, grace, courtesy, delicate feeling. Where imponderables, are things of first importance, there is the height of civilization, and, if at the same time, the power of art exists unimpaired, human life has reached a level seldom attained and very seldom surpassed.

  3. Aleksandar Vucic:

    I am asking you to support a decision (to dismiss Gasic) because of courtesy, moral decency and respect we all need to show for others.

  4. Kate Steinle:

    Donald Trump talks about Kate Steinle like he knows her, i've never heard a word from his campaign manager, I've never heard a word from him. It's disconcerting. I don't want to be affiliated with someone who doesn't have the common courtesy to reach out and ask about Kate, and our political views and what we want.

  5. Nathaniel Pawlowski:

    Courtesy Artur Pawlowski TV was placed in what Courtesy Artur Pawlowski TV described as like a dog kennel, but it was like a cage, sort of like what you have in a police van ; those really thin, small cages with very little air circulation. So Courtesy Artur Pawlowski TV was placed in one of those for hours on end twice.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

courtesy#1#5765#10000

Translations for courtesy

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"courtesy." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 26 Jul 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/courtesy>.

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