courteous

adjective

cour·​te·​ous ˈkər-tē-əs How to pronounce courteous (audio)
 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
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

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 Diary1970
The clerks were helpful and courteous. their customer service department always gives courteous responses, even to rude people
Recent Examples on the Web Clear and courteous communication of your needs allows the crew members to customize their service to meet your expectations, ensuring a more enjoyable and personalized journey. Christopher Elliott, Forbes, 24 Feb. 2024 Maggiore, a courteous Midwesterner, could be heard apologizing to someone on the phone. Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2023 The hospital executive found the Epic product team to be courteous, nice, and honest. Seth Joseph, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 People on the trail are generally courteous, eager to talk and more than happy to snap a photo of you and your group. Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2024 Members of the orchestra have been extremely co-operative, courteous and perfectly disciplined at rehearsals. Jeff Suess, The Enquirer, 14 Jan. 2024 In an hour, a courteous stranger who might be Filipino arrives with a gurney, fills out a form, takes away my mother, leaves the empty hospital bed in the family room, and drives my mother into the night. Viet Thanh Nguyen, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2023 According to Fairfax County Public Schools policy, the board has extensive authority to alter the name of a school or building to foster an inclusive or courteous environment. Melissa Noel, Essence, 13 Nov. 2023 What’s a critic to do in the face of such a courteous entreaty? Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courteous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of courteous was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near courteous

Cite this Entry

“Courteous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courteous. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

courteous

adjective
cour·​te·​ous ˈkərt-ē-əs How to pronounce courteous (audio)
1
: marked by good manners suitable to a court
2
: marked by respect for and consideration of others
courteously adverb
courteousness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on courteous

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