Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word
curteisie. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
curteisie, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
curteisie in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
curteisie you have here. The definition of the word
curteisie will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
curteisie, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Middle English
- cortaysie, cortaysye, corteisy, cortesye, corteysye, curtasi, curtasie, curtasy, curtasye, curteisye, curtesie, curtessy, curtesy, curtesye, curteysy, curteysye, curtysy
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman curteisie, curtesie; equivalent to curteis + -ie.[1]
The lack of spellings indicating a pronunciation with /s/ (such as *curteicie or *curteissie) would seem to indicate that this analogical pronunciation postdates Middle English.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˌkurtæi̯ˈziː(ə)/, /ˈkurtiziː(ə)/[2]
Noun
curteisie (uncountable)
- Chivalric values; chivalrousness, honour, valour.
- Courteousness; polite behaviour.
- Kindness; charitable or courteous behaviour.
- A courtesy; a polite or kind act.
Descendants
References
- ^ “cǒurteisīe, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- ^ Dobson, E. J. (1957) English pronunciation 1500-1700, second edition, volume II: Phonology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1968, →OCLC, § 356, page 930:
Similarly courtesy and jealousy, recorded with the historical [z] by Gil and Bullokar respectively, may owe their later pronunciations with [s] (recorded in courtesy by Bullokar, Robinson, and Hodges and in jealousy by Gil) to the influence of sbs. in -cy (e.g. privacy), as Ekwall suggests; but [s] in courteous and jealous is probably a more potent factor.
.