courtship
UK /ˈkɔːt.ʃɪp/ · US /ˈkɔɹt.ʃɪp/ noun
Forms courtships
- noun (obsolete) The ceremonial performance of acts of courtesy to a dignitary, etc.
- noun The act of wooing a person to enter into a romantic relationship or marriage; hence, the period during which a couple fall in love before their marriage.
- noun (by extension) The behaviour exhibited by an animal to attract a mate.
- noun (figuratively) The act of trying to solicit a favour or support from someone.
- noun (countable, uncountable, obsolete) Elegance or propriety of manners fitting for a court; courtliness; (by extension) courteous or polite behaviour; courtesy.
- noun (uncountable, obsolete) The pursuit of being a courtier, such as exercising diplomacy, finesse, etc.; also, the artifices and intrigues of a court; courtcraft.
Synonyms
Etymology
From court (“demonstration of such respect as is traditionally given at court; attention directed to a person in power; behaviour designed to gain favour; politeness of manner; civility towards someone”) + -ship (suffix forming nouns indicating a property or state of being).
Webster’s 1913
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “courtship”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details