Dictionary

courtier en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈkoətɪə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
• /ˈkɔːtɪə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈko(ː)ɹtiɚ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
• /ˈkɔɹtiɚ/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Middle English courteour, from Anglo-Norman corteour, Old French cortoiier, from cort (“court”). By surface analysis, court + -ier.

Meanings

1. A person in attendance at a royal court.
   • By the Lord, Horatio, this three years I have taken note of it, the age is grown so picked that the toe of the peasant comes so near the heel of the courtier he galls his kibe. c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
2. A person who flatters in order to seek favour.
   • People shouted cheerfully and flinched, but the Prime Minister didn't flinch, she fortified her voice with a firm diapason as if rising to the challenge of a rowdy Chamber. Around her her courtiers started like pheasants. 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 12, in The Line of Beauty […], London: Picador, →ISBN:
   • The world’s richest person, not known for his humility, is still learning the cutthroat courtier politics of Donald Trump’s inner circle — and his ultimate influence remains an open question. 2024 November 22, Theodore Schleifer, “Elon Musk Gets a Crash Course in How Trumpworld Works”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
3. Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Sephisa.

Forms

Deriveds

courtierism · courtierlike · courtiership · courtierdom · anticourtier · courtieress · courtierly

Relateds

courtesan · court

Translations (61)

ru льстец (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · sh dvòranin (attendant at a royal court) · nb hoffmann (attendant at a royal court) · vi cận thần (attendant at a royal court) · fi hoviherra (attendant at a royal court) · da hofmand (attendant at a royal court) · sk dvoran (attendant at a royal court) · pl dwórka (attendant at a royal court) · oc cortesan (attendant at a royal court) · cmn 朝臣 (attendant at a royal court) · la aulicus (attendant at a royal court) · mk дворјанин (attendant at a royal court) · de Schmeichler (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · mk дворјанка (attendant at a royal court) · ga cúirteoir (attendant at a royal court) · ru придво́рный (attendant at a royal court) · enm courteour (attendant at a royal court) · grc αὐλικός (attendant at a royal court) · pl dworzanin (attendant at a royal court) · uk придво́рний (attendant at a royal court) · sh dvoranka (attendant at a royal court) · be прыдво́рны (attendant at a royal court) · uk придво́рна (attendant at a royal court) · sv hovman (attendant at a royal court) · sh дво̀ранин (attendant at a royal court) · el αυλικός (attendant at a royal court) · pl dworka (attendant at a royal court) · vi nịnh thần (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · pl pochlebca (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · ko 정신 (attendant at a royal court) · el κόλακας (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · nl hoveling (attendant at a royal court) · bg придво́рен (attendant at a royal court) · ca cortesà (attendant at a royal court) · cs dvořanka (attendant at a royal court) · fr courtisan (attendant at a royal court) · sk dvoranka (attendant at a royal court) · ro curtean (attendant at a royal court) · sh дворанка (attendant at a royal court) · pt cortesão (attendant at a royal court) · cmn 廷臣 (attendant at a royal court) · de Höfling (attendant at a royal court) · la cūriālis (attendant at a royal court) · zlw-ocs dvořěnín (attendant at a royal court) · it cortigiano (attendant at a royal court) · sl dvorjanka (attendant at a royal court) · pl przydupas (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · vi triều thần (attendant at a royal court) · eo kortegano (attendant at a royal court) · es cortesano (attendant at a royal court) · ja 廷臣 (attendant at a royal court) · sl dvorjan (attendant at a royal court) · ru подхали́м (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · hu udvaronc (attendant at a royal court) · fi hovimies (attendant at a royal court) · ru царедво́рец (attendant at a royal court) · bg придво́рна (attendant at a royal court) · ro curtezan (a person who flatters in order to seek favour) · ru придво́рная (attendant at a royal court) · be прыдво́рная (attendant at a royal court) · cs dvořan (attendant at a royal court)