courtlier; courtliest
2
: favoring the policy or party of the court
courtliness
noun
Synonyms
Examples of courtly in a Sentence
Adjective
his courtly manners made him a favorite escort of widowed socialites
Recent Examples on the Web
Dawn Davis Sharon Radisch Soneela Nankani Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 13 May 2024
At 21, George crossed paths with James I, who also ruled Scotland as King James VI, in August 1614 at Apethorpe, a courtly home in rural Northamptonshire.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 9 May 2024
Serge Raoul, courtly and reserved, was a reluctant front-of-the-house man.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtly 
Adjective
From there, ravioli made its way into the courtly kitchens of the northern provinces.
—Dawn Davis Sharon Radisch Soneela Nankani Emma Kehlbeck Joel Thibodeau, New York Times, 13 May 2024
At 21, George crossed paths with James I, who also ruled Scotland as King James VI, in August 1614 at Apethorpe, a courtly home in rural Northamptonshire.
—TIME, 5 Apr. 2024
Adverb
Best of all is the lively triple-time finale, which evokes the long history of courtly hunting music, with an alluring short section in minor key.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 9 May 2024
Serge Raoul, courtly and reserved, was a reluctant front-of-the-house man.
—Penelope Green, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024
See all Example Sentences for courtly
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courtly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near courtly
Cite this Entry
“Courtly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtly. Accessed 1 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share