courteous

/ˈkʌrdiəs/

/ˈkʌtiəs/

If you are courteous, your good manners show friendliness and concern for others, like your courteous habit of holding the door for people entering a building with you.

The adjective courteous comes from the Old French word curteis, which means “having courtly bearing or manners.” Courtly described the court — nobles who hung around the castle, the entourage of kings and queens. Their refined manners, not to mention their wealth and power, set them apart from the masses. So courteous behavior is a reminder of the value of good manners.

Definitions of courteous

1. adjective

   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”

   synonyms:

   chivalrous, gallant, knightly

   being attentive to women like an ideal knight

   respectful

   full of or exhibiting respect

   antonyms:

   discourteous

   showing no courtesy; rude

   abrupt

   surprisingly and unceremoniously brusque in manner

   brusk, brusque, curt, short

   marked by rude or peremptory shortness

   caddish, unchivalrous, ungallant

   offensively discourteous

   unceremonious

   without due formalities

   disrespectful

   exhibiting lack of respect; rude and discourteous
2. adjective

   exhibiting courtesy and politeness
   synonyms: gracious, nice

   polite

   showing regard for others in manners, speech, behavior, etc.