courtesy call

[kur-tuh-see kawl]

noun

1. a visit or telephone call made for the sake of politeness or diplomacy.

   The newly appointed ambassador of Argentina paid a courtesy call on the leader of the opposition today.

   The delivery team was very professional and made a courtesy call in advance of their arrival.

Word History and Origins

Origin of courtesy call¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

Daniel and Moses thought they were paying a courtesy call on a cottage industry, but the cottage was a castle.

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Late last month, California fire officials made a courtesy call to Los Angeles.

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Labour's Henry McLeish is the only previous holder of the office to have been granted a courtesy call to the Oval Office.

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A courtesy call would be a “waste of time.”

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Essayli last week sent a letter to Santa Ana, warning the sanctuary city about its proposal to pass a resolution that would require the Santa Ana Police Department to inform residents whenever they received a courtesy call from Immigration and Customs Enforcement alerting them about upcoming raids.

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