courteousness

IPA/ˈkɜː.ti.əs.nəs/
IPA/ˈkɝː.t̬i.əs.nəs/

courteousness — noun

1. behaviour that shows respect, good manners, and thoughtfulness towards other peo

1.nounB2
Definition

behaviour that shows respect, good manners, and thoughtfulness towards other people — for instance, holding a door open for a stranger or listening attentively when someone speaks.

Example

The hotel staff treated every guest with warmth and courteousness from the moment they arrived.

collocation: treat someone with courteousness

In some cultures, courteousness requires you to remove your shoes before entering a home.

Common collocations
  • show courteousness
  • treat someone with courteousness
  • appreciate someone's courteousness
  • courteousness towards
  • gesture of courteousness
Synonyms
  • politeness

    the most common and neutral term for respectful behaviour in everyday situations

  • courtesy

    can refer to both the general quality and a specific polite gesture; more versatile than courteousness

  • civility

    slightly more formal, often used in public or institutional contexts to describe minimal standards of respectful behaviour

  • graciousness

    implies warmth, kindness, and elegance in addition to basic politeness

Antonyms
  • rudeness

    the direct and most common opposite; behaviour that shows a lack of respect

  • discourtesy

    the formal opposite; deliberate or careless lack of politeness

  • impoliteness

    a straightforward antonym covering failure to follow social norms of politeness

Usage Note

Frequently used in formal or appreciative contexts to describe a person's consistent manner of treating others, rather than a single polite act (for which 'courtesy' is more natural).

Common Mistakes

Thank you for your courteousness.
Thank you for your courtesy.
When thanking someone for a specific polite action, 'courtesy' is the expected noun; 'courteousness' sounds unnatural for a single act.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe respectful treatment of others, but they differ in register and scope. Politeness is the broadest, everyday term — it covers the basic social rules most people follow. Courtesy is slightly more formal and has the unique ability to refer both to the general quality ("a person of great courtesy") and to a specific polite act ("he held the door as a courtesy"). Civility carries a stronger social-prescription tone; it is often used in public discourse about how strangers should treat one another in shared spaces. Graciousness adds a layer of warmth and generosity, implying not just correct behaviour but a genuinely kind manner. For example, a politician might speak of restoring civility in debate, while a host is described as gracious for welcoming unexpected guests with warmth.

courtesy ↗politeness ↗civility ↗graciousness ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • with courteousness
  • out of courteousness

Prepositions

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

Courteousness comes from courteous, which entered Middle English from Old French curteis (later corteis), meaning 'having courtly manners'. The suffix -ness turns the adjective into a noun, giving the sense of 'the state or quality of being courteous'. Originally tied to behaviour expected at royal courts, the word later broadened to describe polite conduct in any setting.