courtesy

American  

[kur-tuh-see, kurt-see] / ˈkɜr tə si, ˈkɜrt si /

noun

courtesies plural

1. excellence of manners or social conduct; polite behavior.

   Her unfailing courtesy made her easy to work with.

   Synonyms:

   urbanity, civility, courteousness

2. a courteous, respectful, or considerate act or expression.

3. indulgence, consent, or acquiescence.

   He is a “colonel” by courtesy rather than by right.

4. favor, help, or generosity.

   The costumes for the play were by courtesy of the local department store.

5. a curtsy.

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adjective

1. done or performed as a matter of politeness or protocol.

   The council member paid a courtesy call on the mayor.

2. offered or provided free by the management.

   While waiting to board the airplane, we were provided with courtesy coffee.

idioms

1. courtesy of, from or given by.

   This tip comes courtesy of our inside source.

courtesy British  

/ ˈkɜːtɪsɪ /

noun

1. politeness; good manners

2. a courteous gesture or remark

3. favour or consent (esp in the phrase by courtesy of )

4. common consent as opposed to right (esp in the phrase by courtesy ) See also courtesy title

5. an archaic spelling of curtsy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overcourtesy
  noun
• uncourtesy
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• courtesies
  plural

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

courtesy courtesies

A splash of chicken stock is used to make the baby bok choy, courtesy of this stellar recipe from NYT Cooking.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

But then he struck out three of the next four, escaping the jam down just 1-0, courtesy of an RBI single from Gavin Sheets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 4, 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

We can reserve that adjective for the 1986 Challenger explosion, which was witnessed live by millions courtesy of CNN.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

He opened it quickly and read: Dear Milo, You have now completed your trip, courtesy of the Phantom Tollbooth.

From "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster

Despite early courtesies - India's then national security adviser Brajesh Mishra was the first foreign dignitary to congratulate Khaleda Zia - trust proved thin.

From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026

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

“He’s paid his fealty. He’s done his bows and courtesies, and now realism sets in. He’s not going to win South Carolina in November,” Huffmon said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2024

The two leaders interacted on the sidelines of the Group of 20 nations summit in Indonesia last year, but only exchanged courtesies and discussed the need to stabilise ties, the Indian government said recently.

From Reuters ● Aug. 24, 2023

She smiled continually, smiled at everyone, as if to make up for Papa’s solemn courtesies.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

Related Words

• civility
• deference
• generosity
• kindness
• reverence
• sympathy