discourteous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of discourteous
Explanation
If you're rude or inconsiderate, you're discourteous. It would be discourteous to invite only four of your classmates to your party in front of the whole class. Burping on purpose, pushing your way to the front of a line, failing to send a thank you note for a generous gift, deliberately hurting someone's feelings, or failing to bow when you meet the Queen: these are all discourteous ways of behaving. When you're courteous, you have excellent manners and you're very thoughtful. Add the prefix dis-, meaning "lack of," and you get discourteous.
Vocabulary lists containing discourteous
Power Prefix: dis-
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dis-
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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.
What we don’t have time for is all the ridiculous ways we allow precious minutes to die from wanton distraction or discourteous delays.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
"That would be discourteous towards the Russian Federation," he said.
From Barron's ● Jan. 9, 2026
The panel said he also engaged in a pattern of improper remarks that “were discourteous and gave the appearance of bias to a crime victim, prospective jurors, defendants, attorneys and others.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2025
Firing the puck in when play is stopped is not only discourteous, but dangerous.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2024
But he knew that Iorek knew that, and knew that he knew it, and that it would be discourteous and stupid to say it; but he was tempted, all the same.
From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
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.
