courteous

1 of 2

adjective

cour·​te·​ous ˈkər-tē-əs 

British also ˈkȯ-

1

: marked by polished manners, gallantry, or ceremonial usage of a court

2

: marked by respect for and consideration of others

courteously adverb

courteousness noun

courteousness

2 of 2

noun

cour·​te·​ous·​ness

ˈkər-tē-əs-nəs, 

British also ˈkȯr-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being courteous : gracious civility : politeness, courtesy

Synonyms of courteous

Adjective

• polite
• gracious

Choose the Right Synonym for courteous

civil, polite, courteous, gallant, chivalrous mean observant of the forms required by good breeding.

civil often suggests little more than the avoidance of overt rudeness.

owed the questioner a civil reply

polite commonly implies polish of speech and manners and sometimes suggests an absence of cordiality.

if you can't be pleasant, at least be polite

courteous implies more actively considerate or dignified politeness.

clerks who were unfailingly courteous to customers

gallant and chivalrous imply courteous attentiveness especially to women.

gallant suggests spirited and dashing behavior and ornate expressions of courtesy.

a gallant suitor of the old school

chivalrous suggests high-minded and self-sacrificing behavior.

a chivalrous display of duty

Examples of courteous in a Sentence

Adjective

There was no doubt that his stubbornly held and trenchantly expressed views—his trenchancy always tempered, however, by his gently courteous manner—contributed significantly to his unpopularity … —Simon Winchester, The Man Who Loved China, 2008

… she has seen generations of boys come and go, some well groomed and courteous, others rough and uppity … —Julian Barnes, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 1990

He joined us in the Yellow Room with … his son, a thoughtful, courteous, nice doctor … —Lady Bird Johnson 27 May 1964, in A White House Diary,  1970

The clerks were helpful and courteous.

their customer service department always gives courteous responses, even to rude people

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Hickok, for all his later derring-do, was reportedly courteous, quiet, and perhaps a bit standoffish. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026

Little things, like being courteous and not standing in the aisle when crew members are trying to serve food, can go a long way toward making their lives easier. — Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026

Being a courteous cruiser helps everyone maximize their vacation enjoyment. — Jill Schildhouse, Southern Living, 27 June 2026

Staff was very courteous & friendly. — Lexi Lane, PEOPLE, 21 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English corteis, from Anglo-French curteis, from curt

Noun

Middle English curteisnesse, from curteis courteous + -nesse -ness

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for courteous

• tertius
• discourteous

Kids Definition

courteous

adjective

cour·​te·​ous ˈkərt-ē-əs 

1

: marked by good manners suitable to a court

2

: marked by respect for and consideration of others

courteously adverb

courteousness noun