courtly

1 of 2

adjective

court·​ly ˈkȯrt-lē How to pronounce courtly (audio)
courtlier; courtliest
1
a
: of a quality befitting the court : elegant
b
: insincerely flattering
2
: favoring the policy or party of the court
courtliness noun

courtly

2 of 2

adverb

: in a courtly manner : politely

Examples of courtly in a Sentence

Adjective his courtly manners made him a favorite escort of widowed socialites
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In the video, guests dressed for an Instagrammable, Regency-era ball, while an orchestra played music for courtly dances and Lopez sat on a throne, holding court as her own version of Queen Charlotte. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 25 July 2024 From there, ravioli made its way into the courtly kitchens of the northern provinces. Dawn Davis Sharon Radisch Soneela Nankani Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 13 May 2024
Adverb
The courtly intrigue frequently takes on a goofy, vulgar bent. Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 June 2024 Best of all is the lively triple-time finale, which evokes the long history of courtly hunting music, with an alluring short section in minor key. Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 9 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for courtly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courtly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

circa 1592, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of courtly was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near courtly

Cite this Entry

“Courtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtly. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

courtly

adjective
court·​ly
ˈkō(ə)rt-lē,
ˈkȯ(ə)rt-
: suitable to a royal court : elegant
courtly manners
courtliness noun

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