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If you’re looking for a polite topic of conversation to raise at your next gathering of word lovers, we’ve got just the ticket. The French word étiquette means “ticket”; its direct French ancestor also referred to a label attached to something for description or identification. Spaniards of the 16th-century adopted the French word (altering it to etiqueta), and used it to refer to the written protocols describing the behavior demanded of those who appeared at court. Eventually, etiqueta came to be applied to the court ceremonies themselves as well as to the documents which outlined their requirements. Word of this linguistic development got back to the French, who then expanded their word’s meaning to include “proper court behavior” along with its “label” sense. By the middle of the 18th century English speakers had taken on etiquette as their own, applying it to the rules that indicate the proper and polite way to behave, whether in the presence or royalty or not.
Examples of etiquette in a Sentence
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 28 Apr. 2025
Dear Life Kit is NPR's advice column, where experts answer tricky questions about relationships, social etiquette, work culture and more.
—Malaka Gharib, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
Haislip, along with a partner, conducts courses teaching etiquette to everyone from children and teens (at both public and private schools) to adults and business professionals.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 25 Apr. 2025
Her rough day doesn't trump basic transit etiquette … Her bag doesn't pay fare, and your actions were justified.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for etiquette
Cite this Entry
“Etiquette.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etiquette. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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