courtier

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English courteour, from Anglo-Norman corteour, Old French cortoiier, from cort (court).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

courtier (plural courtiers)

  1. A person in attendance at a royal court.
    • 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]:
      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.
  2. A person who flatters in order to seek favour.
    • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 12, in The Line of Beauty [], 1st US edition, New York, N.Y.: Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN:
      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.
  3. (entomology) Any of various nymphalid butterflies of the Asian genus Sephisa.

Derived terms

[edit]
[edit]

Translations

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]

French

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Old French courre (to run) (compare Modern French courir) + -etier.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Noun

[edit]

courtier m (plural courtiers, feminine courtière)

  1. broker; stockbroker

Further reading

[edit]