Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “courteous” come from?

Courteous comes from Old French curteis, derived from Old French cort and Latin cohors, with the prefix Latin co-.

courteous (English): Showing regard or thought for others; especially,...

Definitions

  1. Showing regard or thought for others; especially,...

Ancestry of “courteous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcurteisnoble; courtly
2Old FrenchcurteisAlternative form of cortois
3Old Frenchcortcourt
4Latincōrs—
5Latincohorsa court; a farmyard or enclosure; a retinue or...
6Latinco-allomorph of con-
7Latincōn-—
8Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
9Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
10Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
12Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
13Middle Englishkyt—
14Germankitt—
15Old High Germankuti—
16Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
17Proto-Germanickweduzresin
18Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
19Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “courteous”

  • courteously
  • discourteous
  • uncourteous
  • discourteously
  • courteousness
  • uncourteously
  • discourteousness
  • uncourteousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →