Courtship
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 The act of paying court, that is, demonstrating such politeness and respect as is traditionally given at a court (“a formal assembly of a sovereign's retinue”).; The ceremonial performance of acts of courtesy to a dignitary, etc. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Our ſelfe and Buſhie, / Obſerued his courtſhip to the common people, / How he did ſeeme to diue into their harts, / With humble and familiar courteſie, / What reuerence he did throw away on ſlaues, [...]"
- 2 a man's courting of a woman; seeking the affections of a woman (usually with the hope of marriage) wordnet
- 3 The act of paying court, that is, demonstrating such politeness and respect as is traditionally given at a court (“a formal assembly of a sovereign's retinue”).; The act of wooing a person to enter into a romantic relationship or marriage; hence, the period during which a couple fall in love before their marriage. countable, uncountable
"More validitie, / More honourable ſtate, more courtſhip liues / In carrion flyes, than Romeo: they may ſeaze / On the white wonder of faire Iuliets skinne, / And ſteale immortall kiſſes from her lips; / But Romeo may not, he is baniſhed."
- 4 The act of paying court, that is, demonstrating such politeness and respect as is traditionally given at a court (“a formal assembly of a sovereign's retinue”).; The behaviour exhibited by an animal to attract a mate. broadly, countable, uncountable
"Theſe bellowing exploſions [of the bittern] are chiefly heard from the beginning of ſpring to the end of autumn; and, however awful they may ſeem to us, are the calls to courtſhip, or of connubial felicity."
- 5 The act of paying court, that is, demonstrating such politeness and respect as is traditionally given at a court (“a formal assembly of a sovereign's retinue”).; The act of trying to solicit a favour or support from someone. countable, figuratively, uncountable
"His head grows fevered, and his pulse / The quick successive throbs convulse; / In vain from side to side he throws / His form, in courtship of repose; [...]"
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- 6 Elegance or propriety of manners fitting for a court; courtliness; (by extension) courteous or polite behaviour; courtesy. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"King. How Madame? Ruſsians? / Quee[n]. I [i.e., ay] in trueth My Lord. / Trim gallants, full of Courtſhip and of ſtate."
- 7 The pursuit of being a courtier, such as exercising diplomacy, finesse, etc.; also, the artifices and intrigues of a court; courtcraft. obsolete, uncountable
"The Frenchman (not altered from his owne nature) is wholly compact of deceivable courtship, and (for the most part) loues none but himselfe and his pleasure: yet though he be the most Grand Signeur of them all, he will say, A vostre service et commandemente monsieur [at your service and command, monsieur], to the meanest vassaile he meetes."
Example
More examples"Traditionally, men were expected to take the lead in courtship."
Etymology
From court (“demonstration of such respect as is traditionally given at court; attention directed to a person in power; behaviour designed to gain favour; politeness of manner; civility towards someone”) + -ship (suffix forming nouns indicating a property or state of being).
Related phrases
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.