English Explanatory Dictionary

courteous

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Showing regard or thought for others; especially, displaying good manners or etiquette.

Pronunciation

/ˈkɜːti.əs/ /ˈkɝti.əs/ en-us-courteous.ogg

Word forms

courteous more courteous most courteous

Etymology

From Middle English curteis, from Old French curteis (French courtois), from cort (“court”). By surface analysis, court + -eous. Compare typologically Czech zdvořilý (<~ dvůr), German höflich (<~ Hof). Also note Russian прийти́сь ко двору́ (prijtísʹ ko dvorú). Compare typologically civil, urbane. See pagan for the opposite.

Synonyms

civil civilized complaisant correct courteous cultivated fair-mannered genteel mannerly polished polite politic reasonable refined urbane well-behaved well-mannered well-bred

Antonyms

discourteous uncourteous aweless improper bad-mannered barbaric bold bumptious crude churlish impudent gauche ill-bred ill-mannered impolite incivil insolent lack-grace mismannered rantipole rough rude uncivil uncivilized uncouth uncultured underbred unmannerly unpolished unpolite unrefined

Related words

cohort court courtesy

Derived words

courteously courteousness discourteous overcourteous uncourteous
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