courier

noun

cou·​ri·​er ˈku̇r-ē-ər 

ˈkər-ē-, 

ˈkə-rē-

1

: messenger: such as

a

: a member of a diplomatic (see diplomatic sense 2) service entrusted with bearing messages

b(1)

: an espionage agent transferring secret information

(2)

: a runner of contraband (see contraband sense 2)

drug couriers

c

: a member of the armed services whose duties include carrying mail, information, or supplies

2

: a traveler's paid attendant

especially : a tourists' guide employed by a travel agency

Synonyms of courier

• smuggler

Examples of courier in a Sentence

Police recently arrested a drug courier in our neighborhood.

A courier just left a package for you on the porch.

Recent Examples on the Web

That boyish man is Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who accepts a job that will take him outside his normal route to Raccoon City, which unbeknownst to him has become overrun by monsters. — Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026

Between a courier caught in the middle of a zombie virus outbreak and a scuba diver swallowed whole by a sperm whale, both films put Abrams’ respective lead characters, Bryan and Jay, through uniquely harrowing one-man crucibles. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026

Founded by Hasan Abasi in the Arab-majority town of Umm al-Fahm in Israel, Haat now offers its services across 50 cities, working with more than 10,000 restaurants and markets, and employing more than 500 couriers. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026

Abrams plays a bumbling medical courier who finds out his girlfriend is pregnant, but agrees to one last delivery before heading home. — Jordan Moreau, Variety, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French corier, courrier, borrowed from Italian corriere, from correre "to run" (going back to Latin currere) + -iere -ier — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing courier

• vaunt-courier

Rhymes for courier

• furrier
• spurrier

Kids Definition

courier

noun

cou·​ri·​er ˈku̇r-ē-ər 

ˈkər-ē-, 

ˈkə-rē-

: a messenger especially in the diplomatic service

Etymology

Middle English courrier "a person who carries (runs) messages from one place to another quickly," from early Italian corriere (same meaning), derived from Latin currere "to run" — related to current