Synonyms for courtesy
- noun
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Noun
1. Politeness
politeness, attention, graciousness, civility, good manners, favor US, favour UK, affability, indulgence, decorum, elegance, refinement, comity, urbanity, gallantry, amenity, courteousness, amiability, courtliness, complaisance
Adjective
1. Complimentary — supplied free of charge
Definitions
- n. 1
Polite behavior.
Please extend them the courtesy of your presence.
- adj. 1
Supplied free of charge.
The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.
Related words
- Phrases
- common courtesy courtesy card courtesy clerk courtesy lamp courtesy light courtesy name
- Is a kind of
- congee congé conge
- Other spellings
- curtsey curtsy
Forms
- Plural
- courtesies → politenesses, attentions, graciousnesses, civilities…
Choose the right word
Courtesy and politeness are indispensable elements of good address.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- civility Humanity is experiencing a global crisis of civility.
- politeness What is hard to put up with is his over-politeness.
- graciousness I appreciate your graciousness and efforts on my behalf.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| courtesy | steady | |
| civility | rising | |
| politeness | rising | |
| graciousness | rising | |
| affability | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- bow1
- 5 letters
- favor2
- 6 letters
- favour2, gratis2, comity3
- 7 letters
- decorum3, amenity4
- 8 letters
- elegance3, civility4, urbanity
- 9 letters
- attention3, gallantry3, obeisance3
- 10 letters
- indulgence3, refinement3, politeness3, affability, amiability6
- 11 letters
- courtliness
- 12 letters
- graciousness3, complaisance
- 13 letters
- complimentary5, courteousness
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (favor2 = 2 syllables).
In other languages
- Français
- courtoisie