courtesy

[ kur-tuh-see kurt-see ]

noun

, plural cour·te·sies.

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

   Her unfailing courtesy made her easy to work with.

   Synonyms: courteousness, urbanity, civility

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.

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.

courtesy

/ 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. ˈkɜːtsɪ an archaic spelling of curtsy

Other Words From

• o·ver·cour·te·sy noun
• un·cour·te·sy noun plural uncourtesies

Word History and Origins

Origin of courtesy¹

First recorded in 1175–1225; from Middle English curteisie, from Anglo-French, from Old French; equivalent to courteous ( def ) + -y ³( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of courtesy¹

C13 curteisie, from Old French, from corteis courteous

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. courtesy of, from or given by:

   This tip comes courtesy of our inside source.

Example Sentences

Trump did not extend the same courtesy to Biden in 2020, hampering the transition, as he refused to concede that Biden won that election.

From Los Angeles Times

Nearby, an electric truck bore in Spanish the legend “Courtesy of: Councilmember Kevin de León.”

From Los Angeles Times

His first winning streak came courtesy of back-to-back triumphs over Rutgers and Nebraska as part of a brutal travel schedule in which the Bruins will log an estimated 22,048 miles.

From Los Angeles Times

With its back already against the wall, USC mounted a 12-play drive that required two third-and-long conversions, one of which came courtesy of a pass interference.

From Los Angeles Times

I understand that the court process has to be fair, but my daughter cannot be afforded this courtesy because of his actions and his actions alone.

From BBC

Related Words

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