Courtesy vs Polite - What's the difference?
courtesy | polite |
(uncountable) Polite behavior.
(countable) A polite gesture or remark.
* Shakespeare
(uncountable) Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.
(uncountable) Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.
A curtsey.
* Goldsmith
* Samuel Richardson
Given or done as a polite gesture.
Free of charge.
Well-mannered, civilized.
* (Alexander Pope)
* , chapter=4
, title= (obsolete) Smooth, polished, burnished.
* (Isaac Newton)
(obsolete) To polish; to refine; to render polite.
As verbs the difference between courtesy and polite
is that courtesy is alternative form of lang=en while polite is to polish; to refine; to render polite.As adjectives the difference between courtesy and polite
is that courtesy is given or done as a polite gesture while polite is well-mannered, civilized.As a noun courtesy
is polite behavior.courtesy
English
Noun
- Please extend them the courtesy of your presence.
- I offered them a ride simply as a courtesy .
- My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you.
- They call this pond a lake by courtesy only.
- They received free advertising through the courtesy of the local newspaper.
- The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual.
Derived terms
* courtesy call * courtesy card * courtesy copy * courtesy name * courtesy ofDerived terms
* courtesy ofVerb
- Well, but Polly attended, as I said; and there were strange simperings, and bowing, and courtesying , between them; the honest gentleman seeming not to know how to let his mistress wait upon him
Adjective
courtesy (no comparative or superlative''; ''used only before the noun )- We paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.
- The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.
Synonyms
* free of chargeReferences
polite
English
Adjective
(en-adj)- He marries, bows at court, and grows polite .
Mr. Pratt's Patients, passage=I told him about everything I could think of; and what I couldn't think of he did. He asked about six questions during my yarn, but every question had a point to it. At the end he bowed and thanked me once more. As a thanker he was main-truck high; I never see anybody so polite .}}
- rays of light falling on a polite surface
Usage notes
* The one-word comparative form (politer) and superlative form (politest) exist, but are less common than their two-word counterparts (term) and (term).Synonyms
* See alsoAntonyms
* impolite * rudeDerived terms
* over-polite * politeness * polite societyVerb
(polit)- (Ray)