courtly

[ kawrt-lee, kohrt- ]
See synonyms for: courtlycourtliness on Thesaurus.com

adjective,court·li·er, court·li·est.
  1. polite, refined, or elegant: courtly manners.

  2. flattering; obsequious.

  1. noting, pertaining to, or suitable for the court of a sovereign.

adverb
  1. in a courtly manner; politely or flatteringly.

Origin of courtly

1
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at court, -ly

Other words from courtly

  • court·li·ness, noun

Words Nearby courtly

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use courtly in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for courtly

courtly

/ (ˈkɔːtlɪ) /


adjective-lier or -liest
  1. of or suitable for a royal court

  2. refined in manner

  1. ingratiating

Derived forms of courtly

  • courtliness, noun

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