courtship

noun

court·​ship ˈkȯrt-ˌship How to pronounce courtship (audio)
Synonyms of courtshipnext
: the act, process, or period of courting

Synonyms

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Examples of courtship in a Sentence

They had a two-year courtship before marrying. The male of the species often displays aggression during courtship. the President's courtship of middle-class voters
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This might not stand up to scrutiny, since they were married in 1952, which would have meant a very long courtship. — Geoff Dyer, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 Prehistoric Bird Brain May Be a Rosetta Stone for Avian Evolution Practice Makes Dopamine To study learning for its own sake, young male zebra finches that had memorized their male parent’s courtship song were kept in individual soundproof rooms. — Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025 The Vancouver Whistler Games also take the tournament back to a former host country for the first time following the 2017 Toronto Games, where Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle made their first public appearance as a couple during their courtship. — Janine Henni, People.com, 14 Feb. 2025 Practices like these were considered normal in terms of courtship. — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for courtship

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of courtship was in 1596

Rhymes for courtship

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Browse Nearby Words

courts baron
courtship
court shoe
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Cite this Entry

“Courtship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtship. Accessed 29 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

courtship

noun
court·​ship -ˌship How to pronounce courtship (audio)
: the act or process of courting

More from Merriam-Webster on courtship

Nglish: Translation of courtship for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about courtship

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