courtly

/'kkɔ:tli/

Thân thiện

The courtly gentleman bowed gracefully to the queen.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Refined, dignified, and elegant in manner or appearance: Having the polished, formal, and respectful behavior considered characteristic of a royal court or aristocracy.
   • Excessively or obsequiously polite: Demonstrating an elaborate, ceremonious, or flattering politeness that may seem insincere.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective:
  • The ambassador greeted the queen with a courtly bow. (The ambassador's bow was refined and befitting a royal ceremony.)
  • His courtly manners, while impressive, sometimes felt a bit old-fashioned. (His elegant manners seemed characteristic of a past aristocratic era.)
  • She dismissed his courtly compliments as mere flattery. (She considered his overly polite and elaborate compliments to be insincere.)

Advanced Usage

• "courtly love": A medieval European literary concept and code of behavior expressing a knight's idealized, often non-physical, and respectful admiration for a noble lady.
  • The poet wrote many sonnets in the tradition of courtly love.
• Used to describe art, music, or literature that embodies the elegance and formal style of a royal court.
  • The minuet is a courtly dance from the 17th century.

Variants and Related Words

• Courtliness (noun): The quality of being courtly.
  • The courtliness of his demeanor was noted by all.
• Courtier (noun): A person who attends or serves at a royal court.
  • The courtier was skilled in the art of courtly conversation.

Synonyms

• Refined: Elegant and cultured in appearance, manner, or taste.
• Dignified: Having or showing a composed or serious manner worthy of respect.
• Ceremonious: Relating or appropriate to grand and formal occasions.
• Debonair: (Of a man) confident, stylish, and charming.
• Obsequious: Obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree. (This synonym relates to the potentially negative, insincere connotation.)

Antonyms

• Boorish: Rough and bad-mannered.
• Uncouth: Lacking good manners, refinement, or grace.
• Informal: Having a relaxed, friendly, or unofficial style or manner.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To pay courtly attention: To show someone a very formal, respectful, and elaborate kind of attention.
  • The young knight paid courtly attention to the duchess.
• While not a phrasal verb, the adjectival form is frequently used in the fixed historical and literary phrase "courtly love" as noted above.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. refined or imposing in manner or appearance; befitting a royal court
   • a courtly gentleman

Từ đồng nghĩa

• formal
• stately