courtship

noun

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

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 The late justice's only son has spoken fondly of her over the years and even recalled how Marty felt about RBG during their courtship. Sabrina Picou, Peoplemag, 26 May 2024 Season 2 saw Anthony Bridgerton marry Kate Sharma after a brief courtship of her sister, Edwina. Jennifer McClellan, USA TODAY, 18 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for courtship 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'courtship.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1596, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of courtship was in 1596

Dictionary Entries Near courtship

Cite this Entry

“Courtship.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courtship. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

courtship

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

More from Merriam-Webster on courtship

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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