courier

[kur-ee-er, koor-]

noun

1. a messenger, usually traveling in haste, bearing urgent news, important reports or packages, diplomatic messages, etc.

2. any means of carrying news, messages, etc., regularly.

3. the conveyance used by a courier, as an airplane or ship.

4. Chiefly British.,  a tour guide for a travel agency.

courier

/ ˈkʊərɪə /

noun

1. a special messenger, esp one carrying diplomatic correspondence

2. a person who makes arrangements for or accompanies a group of travellers on a journey or tour

verb

1. (tr) to send (a parcel, letter, etc) by courier

Word History and Origins

Origin of courier¹

1350–1400; < Middle French cour ( r ) ier < Italian corriere, equivalent to corr ( ere ) to run (< Latin currere ) + -iere < Latin -ārius -ary; replacing Middle English corour < Anglo-French cor ( i ) our, Old French coreor < Late Latin curritor runner; current, -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of courier¹

C16: from Old French courrier, from Old Latin corriere, from correre to run, from Latin currere

Example Sentences

Kent Police said six victims had reported this courier fraud to them, with four of them losing £76,000 in total between them.

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She was finally moved to contact the police when the scammers, posing first as a police officer and then a courier driver, said they were coming to her home to collect money.

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Investigators say the thieves often use the parcel post or couriers to send their ill-gotten gains back to Chile.

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The government is responsible for fishing licenses -- but a lack of controls allows for money laundering, fishermen and couriers to be extorted by gangs, with contraband often added to their outbound shipments, the experts said.

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The strong language and close focus on the incident come as Poland investigates another suspected hybrid attack involving parcel bombs sent from Lithuania last year using a courier service.

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