courtesy
Americannoun
-
excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior.
Her unfailing courtesy made her easy to work with.
- Synonyms:
- urbanity, civility, courteousness
-
a courteous, respectful, or considerate act or expression.
-
indulgence, consent, or acquiescence.
He is a “colonel” by courtesy rather than by right.
-
favor, help, or generosity.
The costumes for the play were by courtesy of the local department store.
-
a curtsy.
adjective
-
done or performed as a matter of politeness or protocol.
The council member paid a courtesy call on the mayor.
-
offered or provided free by the management.
While waiting to board the airplane, we were provided with courtesy coffee.
idioms
noun
-
politeness; good manners
-
a courteous gesture or remark
-
favour or consent (esp in the phrase by courtesy of )
-
common consent as opposed to right (esp in the phrase by courtesy ) See also courtesy title
-
an archaic spelling of curtsy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of courtesy
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Middle English curteisie, from Anglo-French, from Old French; equivalent to courteous ( def. ) + -y 3 ( def. )
Explanation
A courtesy is a polite remark or respectful act. Complain about a bad meal, and you might get kicked out. But the common courtesy is usually an apology from the manager and, if you're lucky, a free dinner. Courtesy is all about using your good manners, which is why it shares roots with the word courteous. Holding the door open for someone, writing a thank-you note for a gift, and letting the pregnant lady have the last seat on the bus are all courtesies that would make your parents proud. And if something is kindly presented to you free of charge, the gift-giver may say it's "courtesy of" someone special.
Vocabulary lists containing courtesy
"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act II
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
And many a Toluca Lake resident enjoys some theme park perks courtesy of Universal, such as free parking, and invites to pre-opening events at the park.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
The dry powder is more umami-heavy with notes of garlic and shiitake mushrooms and spicy, courtesy of gochugaru, or Korean red chili pepper.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
The watchdog added: "There's also an indication one of the officers may have breached the standard relating to authority, respect and courtesy, for appearing to dismiss Henry saying he had been stabbed."
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
That main living space opens up directly to the backyard courtesy of the glass walls that slide open to break the barrier between the indoor and outdoor areas.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“This is not courtesy to accuse me thus. Your wound excuses your conduct, but there is no need for anger. Who are you? Why do you...”
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
You’re sitting in a room full of people who you want access to and you are observing the courtesies that are required to keep you in the room.
From Slate ● Nov. 17, 2025
"Dealing with the current prime minister is easier in some ways than dealing with his immediate predecessors because he at least observes the basic courtesies of intergovernmental relations," he said.
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2023
Secretary of State Blinken's visit to Beijing, which ended on Monday with all the diplomatic courtesies and protocols one would expect, but with no major breakthrough for investors to cling to.
From Reuters ● Jun. 19, 2023
Army officials said in a statement that their pages were designed to “teach cadets about customs, courtesies and etiquette referring to military balls and other formal events.”
From New York Times ● Dec. 11, 2022
She was a good girl, and always remembered her courtesies.
From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
