discourtesy

American  

[dis-kur-tuh-see] / dɪsˈkɜr tə si /

noun

• discourtesies
  plural

1. lack or breach of courtesy; incivility; rudeness.

2. a discourteous or impolite act.

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discourtesy British  

/ dɪsˈkɜːtɪsɪ /

noun

1. bad manners; rudeness

2. a rude remark or act

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• discourtesies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of discourtesy

First recorded in 1545–55; dis- ¹ + courtesy

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Explanation

Discourtesy is acting in a rude or thoughtless way. If you yell orders at your restaurant server and leave him a small tip, you're treating him with extreme discourtesy. The noun discourtesy is a formal way to say "rudeness" or "disrespect." Cutting in line, interrupting others, chewing with your mouth wide open, being late for an important meeting — these are all examples of discourtesy. Courtesy means "elegance of manners" or "politeness," from a root meaning "courtly manners." When you add the prefix dis-, "the opposite of," you get discourtesy.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

discourtesy discourtesies

"Uttering such words under the guise of a 'joke' or humour does not mitigate this discourtesy displayed toward our women and a specific segment of our society," he wrote.

From Barron's ● Jun. 6, 2026

A vice foreign minister called in Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Xing Haiming and strongly protested what South Korea called "diplomatic discourtesy", the South Korean foreign ministry said in a statement.

From Reuters ● Apr. 20, 2023

My Gove apologised and said “no discourtesy was intended” when he spoke about the approval of the Woodhouse Colliery scheme in Cumbria - the first new UK deep mine in decades.

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2022

Coast Guard vessel was denied permission to make a port call, another apparently intentional discourtesy.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 12, 2022

“Not if you think she will not be back till late,” adding, as if suddenly aware of some discourtesy in his speech, “and I should miss the pleasure of walking home with you.”

From "The Awakening" by Kate Chopin

The movie chokes on its own dreary discourtesies.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 6, 2011

Many knowing Burmese were forced to hide a snicker when they heard that Chou had filed an official complaint about discourtesies appearing in the Burmese press.

From Time Magazine Archive

You note the weaknesses of officialdom, the discourtesies, the disregard and lack of respect for the people.

From Time Magazine Archive

But it was the first air exposition that New York has had for almost eight years and 20,000 persons daily endured the active discourtesies of Grand Central Palace Exposition factotums to see the planes.

From Time Magazine Archive

Incidentally to all this were persistent discourtesies to the President.

From The Life of Abraham Lincoln by Henry Ketcham

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