courteous

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Related to courteous: courteously

cour·te·ous

(kûr′tē-əs)

adj.

Characterized by gracious consideration toward others. See Synonyms at polite.

[Middle English corteis, courtly, from Old French, from cort, court; see court.]

cour′te·ous·ly adv.

cour′te·ous·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

courteous

(ˈkɜːtɪəs)

adj

polite and considerate in manner

[C13 corteis, literally: with courtly manners, from Old French; see court]

ˈcourteously adv

ˈcourteousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cour•te•ous

(ˈkɜr ti əs)

adj.

having or showing good manners; polite.

[1225–75; Middle English co(u)rteis < Anglo-French (see court, -ese); suffix later conformed to -eous]

cour′te•ous•ly, adv.

cour′te•ous•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	courteous - exhibiting courtesy and politeness; "a nice gesture" gracious, nice polite - showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.
	2.	courteous - characterized by courtesy and gracious good manners; "if a man be gracious and courteous to strangers it shows he is a citizen of the world"-Francis Bacon respectful - full of or exhibiting respect; "respectful behavior"; "a respectful glance" discourteous - showing no courtesy; rude; "a distant and at times discourteous young"

courteous

adjective polite, civil, respectful, mannerly, polished, refined, gracious, gallant, affable, urbane, courtly, well-bred, well-mannered He gave me a courteous but firm refusal.
rude, unkind, disrespectful, insolent, impolite, ungracious, discourteous, uncivil, ill-mannered

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

courteous

adjective

1. Full of polite concern for the well-being of others:

attentive, considerate, gallant, polite, solicitous, thoughtful.

2. Characterized by good manners:

civil, genteel, mannerly, polite, well-bred, well-mannered.

Translations

لَطيف، أنيس، مُجامِل

zdvořilý

høfligvelopdragen

höflich

cortés

poli affable civil courtois

kurteis, háttprúîur

cortese educato

pagarbiai

laipnspieklājīgs

вежливый куртуазный

spoštljivvljuden

kibar nazik

彬彬有礼的有礼貌的

courteous

[ˈkɜːtɪəs] ADJ → cortés, atento

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

courteous

[ˈkɜː^rtiəs] adj

[person] → courtois(e), poli(e)

[service, letter] → courtois(e)

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

courteous

adj, courteously

adv → höflich

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

courteous

[ˈkɜːtɪəs] adj → cortese

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

courteous

(ˈkəːtiəs) adjective

polite; considerate and respectful. It was courteous of him to write a letter of thanks.

ˈcourteously adverb

ˈcourteousness noun

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Higgins"-- handshake, followed by a devouring stare and "I'm glad to see ye," on the part of Higgins, and a courteous inclination of the head and a pleasant "Most happy!" on the part of Count Luigi.

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Courteous to all women, he was as courteous as usual to Anne--and no more.

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My uneasy sense of committing an intrusion on him steadily increases, in spite of his courteous welcome.

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And good-natured, courteous, happy-hearted Scott took his triumphs joyously.

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Pontellier had been a rather courteous husband so long as he met a certain tacit submissiveness in his wife.

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If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island, cut off from other lands, but a continent, that joins to them.

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Now as this law, under a modified form, is to this day in force in England; and as it offers in various respects a strange anomaly touching the general law of Fast and Loose-Fish, it is here treated of in a separate chapter, on the same courteous principle that prompts the English railways to be at the expense of a separate car, specially reserved for the accommodation of royalty.

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Now her gentle, courteous words and her uncomplaining ways touched King Frost, and he had pity on her, and he wrapped her up in furs, and covered her with blankets, and he fetched a great box, in which were beautiful jewels and a rich robe embroidered in gold and silver.

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In his slightly lofty but courteous way he inquired what were my plans.

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The matron soon made her appearance; and the polite Frenchman, making one of his best bows, and playing gracefully with the aiguillettes that danced upon his breast, proceeded in courteous accents to deliver his mission.

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Be kindly and courteous. Kindle in all hearts the flame of virtue.

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The quick travellers came up with the slow, and courteous salutations were exchanged; and one of the new comers, who was, in fact, a canon of Toledo and master of the others who accompanied him, observing the regular order of the procession, the cart, the officers, Sancho, Rocinante, the curate and the barber, and above all Don Quixote caged and confined, could not help asking what was the meaning of carrying the man in that fashion; though, from the badges of the officers, he already concluded that he must be some desperate highwayman or other malefactor whose punishment fell within the jurisdiction of the Holy Brotherhood.