different between courtesy vs noblesse

English

Etymology

From Middle English curtesie, from Anglo-Norman curtesie, from Old French curteisie, cortoisie.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?k??t?si/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?k?t?si/
• Hyphenation: cour?te?sy

Noun

courtesy (countable and uncountable, plural courtesies)

1. (uncountable) Polite behavior.

2. (countable) A polite gesture or remark, especially as opposed to an obligation or standard practice.
3. (uncountable) Consent or agreement in spite of fact; indulgence.

4. (uncountable) Willingness or generosity in providing something needed.

   [on a label, caption, etc.] Courtesy the Smith Foundation: [e.g.] use of this image was allowed through the courtesy of the Smith Foundation.

5. A curtsey.
   • 1760, Oliver Goldsmith, The Citizen of the World

     The lady drops a courtesy in token of obedience, and the ceremony proceeds as usual.

6. (law) The life interest that the surviving husband has in the real or heritable estate of his wife.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

courtesy (third-person singular simple present courtesies, present participle courtesying, simple past and past participle courtesied)

1. Alternative form of curtsey
   • 1740, Samuel Richardson, Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded

     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 (not comparable) (used only before the noun)

1. Given or done as a polite gesture.

   We paid a courtesy visit to the new neighbors.

2. Supplied free of charge.

   Synonyms: complimentary, free of charge, gratis

   The event planners offered courtesy tickets for the reporters.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• cosurety, courtsey

English

Etymology

From Middle English noblesse, from Anglo-Norman noblesse, noblesce et al., Old French noblace, nobleche et al., from noble (“noble”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /n?(?)?bl?s/

Noun

noblesse (usually uncountable, plural noblesses)

1. The quality of being noble; nobleness.
   • c. 1395, Geoffrey Chaucer, ‘The Clerk's Tale’, The Canterbury Tales, Ellesmere ms:

     I yow took/ out of youre pouere array / And putte yow / in estaat of heigh noblesse.

   • 1612, Ben Jonson, Epigrams

     But thou , whose noblesse keeps one stature still

2. The nobility; peerage.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.8:

     Faire braunch of noblesse, flowre of cheualrie, / That with your worth the world amazed make, / How shall I quite the paines, ye suffer for my sake?

   • All gentlemen are almost obliged to it: and I know no reason we should give that advantage to the commonalty of England to be foremost in brave actions, which the noblesse of France would never suffer in their peasants

Anagrams

• boneless

French

Etymology

Old French, see noble +? -esse

• Cognate with Catalan noblesa, Portuguese nobreza, Spanish nobleza

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /n?.bl?s/
• Rhymes: -?s

Noun

noblesse f (plural noblesses)

1. nobility

Derived terms

• lettre de noblesse
• noblesse de robe
• titre de noblesse

Further reading

• “noblesse” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Middle English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman noblesse, noblesce et al., Old French noblace, nobleche et al., from noble (“noble”).

Noun

noblesse (uncountable)

1. noblesse

Descendants

• English: noblesse