courier

[ kur-ee-er, koor- ]

noun

1. a messenger, usually traveling in haste, bearing urgent news, important reports or packages, diplomatic messages, etc.
2. any means of carrying news, messages, etc., regularly.
3. the conveyance used by a courier, as an airplane or ship.
4. Chiefly British. a tour guide for a travel agency.

courier

/ ˈkʊərɪə /

noun

1. a special messenger, esp one carrying diplomatic correspondence
2. a person who makes arrangements for or accompanies a group of travellers on a journey or tour

verb

1. tr to send (a parcel, letter, etc) by courier

Word History and Origins

Origin of courier¹

1350–1400; < Middle French cour ( r ) ier < Italian corriere, equivalent to corr ( ere ) to run (< Latin currere ) + -iere < Latin -ārius -ary; replacing Middle English corour < Anglo-French cor ( i ) our, Old French coreor < Late Latin curritor runner; current, -tor

Word History and Origins

Origin of courier¹

C16: from Old French courrier, from Old Latin corriere, from correre to run, from Latin currere

Example Sentences

One retailer cancelled our order but three accepted, and couriers delivered the knives days later without the need for a signature.

From BBC

Lichtenstein, who was born in Russia but grew up in the US, would then meet couriers while on family trips and move the laundered money back home, prosecutors said.

From BBC

On 14 October, it was collected from Neal’s Yard’s warehouse by a courier and taken to a depot – and then, mysteriously, it disappeared.

From BBC

A series of parcel fires targeting courier companies in Poland, Germany and the UK were dry runs aimed at sabotaging flights to the US and Canada, Polish prosecutors say.

From BBC

According to her team, once the cash couriers were detected at the airport and that route made more difficult, payments began to be channelled via a sanctioned Russian bank, PSB.

From BBC