as in graceful
having or showing elegance
his courtly manners made him a favorite escort of widowed socialites
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Recent Examples of courtly
The courtly Time-magazine essayist who described the American Century with wit, outrage, and wry wisdom
By Roger Rosenblatt
Read On
The Seasoned Traveler
Enrique Olvera The Mexican chef behind Cosme and Pujol reveals his travel routine
Read On
Going Anywhere Soon?
—
airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024
In the video, guests dressed for an Instagrammable, Regency-era ball, while an orchestra played music for courtly dances and Lopez sat on a throne, holding court as her own version of Queen Charlotte.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 July 2024
From there, ravioli made its way into the courtly kitchens of the northern provinces.
—Dawn Davis Sharon Radisch Soneela Nankani Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 13 May 2024
At 21, George crossed paths with James I, who also ruled Scotland as King James VI, in August 1614 at Apethorpe, a courtly home in rural Northamptonshire.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for courtly
airmail.news, 7 Dec. 2024
In the video, guests dressed for an Instagrammable, Regency-era ball, while an orchestra played music for courtly dances and Lopez sat on a throne, holding court as her own version of Queen Charlotte.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 July 2024
From there, ravioli made its way into the courtly kitchens of the northern provinces.
—Dawn Davis Sharon Radisch Soneela Nankani Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 13 May 2024
At 21, George crossed paths with James I, who also ruled Scotland as King James VI, in August 1614 at Apethorpe, a courtly home in rural Northamptonshire.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
See All Example Sentences for courtly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for courtly
Adjective
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France is a culture of manners, of eloquence, of graceful behavior, as if life itself, from the grandly public to the intimately domestic, were essentially performative, requiring constant self-control.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2025
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Originally built in 1895, the residence sits on more than three acres and includes a formal garden, a tranquil reflecting pond, and a graceful limestone-domed gazebo.—
Zlata Kozul Naumovski,
Architectural Digest,
25 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The Nest Learning Thermostat is a handsome, effective device, one that arguably kickstarted the smart home revolution with its simple usability and gorgeous design.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
26 Apr. 2025
-
Cole is the handsome, non-committal Miami playboy who your best friend warns you about.—
Michelle Marchante,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The food, elegant and plated with conviction, has shades of both French and Italian influences, and the wine list is among the best in the Queen City.—
Timothy DePeugh,
Charlotte Observer,
1 May 2025
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With elegant interiors, a stunning outdoor patio, and a nod to the artistic and culinary traditions of the Côte d'Azur, Claudie invites guests to indulge in the magic of the South of France with every visit.—
Erica Wertheim Zohar,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Adjective
-
Shortly after a fine break, Journalism had gotten forced toward the rail in the classic Derby crush but was deftly piloted clear by jockey Umberto Rispoli.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
Some will talk to their chef and advise against me dining there, and that's fine.—
Miranda Mullings and Rachel Chang,
Travel + Leisure,
3 May 2025
Adjective
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The young prince was seen with an armful of chocolate treats and toys after stopping to speak to royal watchers on the walk back home.—
Ross Rosenfeld,
MSNBC Newsweek,
23 Apr. 2025
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The royal palace is infested with evil spirits and one of them has taken hold of the young prince.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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For nearly a century after the Civil War, terroristic lynchings of Black men in the South were frequently justified as gallant acts by white men to protect their wives and daughters.—
Livia Gershon,
JSTOR Daily,
16 Apr. 2025
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An elaborate ideology confers legitimacy upon the Kim family: according to the country’s founding myth, Kim Il Sung led a gallant band of guerilla fighters in the bitter winds of Manchuria to defeat the Japanese, liberate the Korean people, and establish the North Korean state.—
JENNIFER LIND,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Oct. 2010
Cite this Entry
“Courtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/courtly. Accessed 7 May. 2025.
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