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

According to prosecutors, Gelacio had met up with a drug courier while docked in Ecuador, and agreed to transport the cocaine to a drug cartel in Mexico while en route to California. — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Following their instructions, my father went to his bank, wired $300,000 to a nearby coin dealer, purchased gold, and handed it to a courier sent to his home. — Ari Maas, New York Daily News, 11 July 2026

Ruth Greenglass confessed to being a courier at Los Alamos and never spent a single night in jail. — Amy Weiss-Meyer, The Atlantic, 10 July 2026

The story follows Kiki, a young witch who moves to the port city of Koriko with her cat Jiji and starts a flying courier service. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 2 July 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