discourteous

D2I1S1C3O1U1R1T1E1O1U1S1
UK/dɪsˈkɜːtɪəs/

adjective

Impolite; lacking consideration for others.

Opposite
UncommonScrabble 15

Meanings

adjectivediscourteous (comparative more discourteous, superlative most discourteous)

comparative more discourteous · superlative most discourteous

  1. Impolite; lacking consideration for others.
    1 more example

    Kirk, who succeeded Drumright, had an unusually short tour of duty in Taipei—only about a year. Despite the shortness of his duty, he left the impression of being an old sea captain who would have felt more at home barking his orders from the bridge than heading an important diplomatic mission. There was nothing civil or gentle about him, and even in talking to President Chiang, he sounded gruff and blunt. I could see that the President really didn't enjoy the envoy's company, but he remained unperturbed and discussed in a calm and friendly manner whatever had prompted the Ambassador to seek the audience. Once I heard him remark half to himself: "How could anyone be so discourteous?"

    1983, James C. H. Shen, “Rejoining the Government”, in Robert Myers, editor, The U.S. & Free China: How the U.S. Sold Out Its Ally, Washington, D.C.: Acropolis Books Ltd., →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 32

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite

adjectiveshowing no courtesy; rude

Opposite

adjectivelacking social graces

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*dwóh₁
  2. Proto-Indo-European*trísinflu.
  3. Proto-Indo-European*d(w)is-
  4. Proto-Italic*dis-
  5. Latindis-
  6. Old Frenchdes-
  7. Latindis-
  8. Middle Englishdis-
  9. Englishdis-
  10. Englishcourteous
  11. Englishdiscourteous

From dis- + courteous.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian неучтив, невъзпитан
  • неучтив (neučtiv)impolite
  • невъзпитан (nevăzpitan)impolite
Dutch onhoffelijk
  • onhoffelijkimpolite
French discourtois
  • discourtoisimpolite
Icelandic ókurteis
  • ókurteisimpolite
Irish drochbhéasach, drochmhúinte
  • drochbhéasachimpolite
  • drochmhúinteimpolite
  • míchúirtéiseachimpolite
  • mímhúinteimpolite
  • neamhchúirtéiseachimpolite
Māori āhuaatua, harehare
  • āhuaatuaimpolite
  • harehareimpolite
  • pakiraraimpolite
Portuguese descortês
  • descortêsimpolite
Russian неве́жливый, невоспи́танный
  • неве́жливый (nevéžlivyj)impolite
  • невоспи́танный (nevospítannyj)impolite
Spanish descortés
  • descortésimpolite
Cite this entry
APA

discourteous. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discourteous

MLA

“discourteous.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discourteous. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “discourteous,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/discourteous.

Source: discourteous on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.