Where Did Courteous Come from?

The adjective courteous comes from the Old French word curteis, which means “having courtly bearing or manners.” Courtly described the court — nobles who hung around the castle, the entourage of kings and queens.

Where did the word courtesy originate?

Courtesy (from the word courteis, from the 12th century) is gentle politeness and courtly manners. In the Middle Ages in Europe, the behaviour expected of the nobility was compiled in courtesy books.

When was courtesy invented?

The earliest courtesy literature was written in Italian and German in the 13th century. By the end of the 17th century, much courtesy literature had begun to evolve into the literature of proper behaviour and was designed more to produce the veneer of civility than to educate the whole person.