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C3O1U1R1T1I1E1R1

courtier

US/ˈkɔɹtiɚ/UK/ˈkɔːtɪə//ˈko(ː)ɹtiɚ//ˈkoətɪə/

noun

What it means

  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.

    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
    1 more example

    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
  3. biologyAny of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Sephisa.

In a sentence

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]

Where it comes from

  1. Old Frenchcortoiier
  2. Anglo-Normancorteour
  3. Middle Englishcourteour
  4. Englishcourtier

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

Full entry for courtier →

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