courteous

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

Synonyms

• 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

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

Superficially courteous and casually racist, Jimmer is an old school authority figure, from his wide-brimmed hat to his work boots, and he’s presented as a fearful impediment to Marshall’s mission right from the jump. —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 14 Aug. 2025

During that time, and as a teacher at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas, the physically towering Spelman garnered a reputation as humble, courteous and a thorough public servant — one eager to dig into details and help cities function more effectively. —Emiliano Tahui Gómez, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025

Three months before Amado took the gun in January, a supervisor gave him a promotion and a raise, describing him as honest, courteous and showing integrity. —Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025

Intense spiritual shift Boelter arrived at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota as a gangly teenager in the late summer of 1985, fresh from being named the friendliest and most courteous at his high school in the rural Minnesota town of Sleepy Eye. —Dan Barry, Twin Cities, 21 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

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