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Synonyms

courtship

American  
[kawrt-ship, kohrt-] / ˈkɔrt ʃɪp, ˈkoʊrt- /

noun

  1. the wooing of one person by another.

  2. the period during which such wooing takes place.

  3. solicitation of favors, applause, etc.

  4. Ethology. behavior in animals that occurs before and during mating, often including elaborate displays.

  5. Obsolete. courtly behavior; courtesy; gallantry.

courtship British  
/ ˈkɔːtʃɪp /

noun

  1. the act, period, or art of seeking the love of someone with intent to marry

  2. the seeking or soliciting of favours

  3. obsolete courtly behaviour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of courtship

First recorded in 1580–90; court + -ship

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.

And that courtship is likely to start again this season.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

Trump stepped up his courtship of Kim during a tour of Asia last year, saying he was "100 percent" open to a meeting.

From Barron's • Feb. 12, 2026

After a courtship that unfurled in fits and starts, they married in 1996.

From Salon • Feb. 12, 2026

The growth, fans say, reflects a reality about many college kids: They’re intimidated by real-life courtship and overwhelmed by the endless scroll of dating apps.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

She was perplexed—he had seemed to be conducting a courtship and even urged her to abandon her studies and run with him to Chicago, but now he was gone and his letters came only rarely.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

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.