Courtesy or curtesy depends on your intended meaning, but courtesy is the correct spelling when you mean politeness, respect or a considerate action. Curtesy is a genuine but rare legal term connected with a husband’s historical property rights in his deceased wife’s estate. Therefore, you should write courtesy in almost every modern conversation, email, essay or business document.
Courtesy or Curtesy: The Quick Answer
If your sentence concerns good manners, kindness, respectful behavior or a helpful service, use courtesy.
Use curtesy only when discussing a specialized doctrine from historical property and inheritance law.
| Word | Meaning | Common modern use |
|---|---|---|
| Courtesy | Politeness, respect or a considerate act | Yes |
| Curtesy | A historical property right held by a widower | Rare legal use |
| Curtsy | A greeting made by bending the knees | Yes, but context-specific |
This means the correct phrase is:
- Common courtesy
- Courtesy call
- Courtesy vehicle
- Courtesy of the photographer
Not:
- Common curtesy
- Curtesy call
- Curtesy vehicle
- Curtesy of the photographer
What Does Courtesy Mean?
Courtesy is usually a noun describing polite, respectful or considerate behavior. It can refer to someone’s general manners or one specific thoughtful act.
Merriam-Webster defines it in relation to respectful manners, considerate conduct and an act or expression of respect. The word can also describe something provided as a favor or privilege. Merriam-Webster
Courtesy as Polite Behavior
Use courtesy when describing the way a person treats others.
- She treated every customer with courtesy.
- Basic courtesy requires listening without interrupting.
- Thank you for showing our guests the same courtesy.
In these examples, courtesy is closely related to politeness, respect and consideration.
Courtesy as a Thoughtful Service
Businesses often use courtesy for something provided to help a customer.
- The hotel offers a courtesy shuttle.
- The repair shop provided a courtesy car.
- You will receive a courtesy reminder before your appointment.
A courtesy service is not necessarily legally required. It is often offered as a helpful gesture or part of good customer service.
What “Courtesy Of” Means
The phrase courtesy of usually identifies who provided, supplied or permitted something.
- Photograph courtesy of the city library
- Refreshments were provided courtesy of a local restaurant.
- The team received new equipment courtesy of its sponsor.
In informal writing, courtesy of can also mean because of, sometimes humorously:
- My shoes are wet, courtesy of the unexpected rain.
What Does Curtesy Mean?
Curtesy is not the standard spelling for politeness. It is a specialized historical legal term.
Under English common law, curtesy described a husband’s life interest in certain real property owned by his deceased wife. Traditionally, the couple also needed to have had a child capable of inheriting the property.
Cornell’s Legal Information Institute describes dower and curtesy as historically gendered property rights. Dower applied to a wife after her husband’s death, while curtesy applied to a husband after his wife’s death. Cornell Legal Information Institute
Curtesy in a Legal Sentence
- The historical dispute concerned the widower’s right of curtesy.
- The textbook compares dower and curtesy under common law.
- The attorney examined whether the older curtesy provision affected the estate.
These sentences concern property law, not manners.
Does Curtesy Still Apply in the United States?
Traditional curtesy rights have been abolished, replaced or made gender-neutral in many jurisdictions. However, some state statutes and older legal documents still use the term.
Because inheritance rights vary by state, never rely on a grammar article to determine someone’s legal entitlement. Consult a qualified estate attorney when the term appears in a current property dispute.
Is Curtesy a Misspelling of Courtesy?
Curtesy is a spelling mistake when the intended meaning is politeness or consideration. However, it is not an invented word.
Compare these sentences:
- Incorrect: He thanked the staff for their curtesy.
- Correct: He thanked the staff for their courtesy.
But:
- Correct legal use: The case involved historical dower and curtesy rights.
This distinction explains why some spelling tools do not flag curtesy. The software recognizes it as a real word, even when it is contextually wrong.
Courtesy or Curtesy in UK English
If you are wondering about courtesy or curtesy UK spelling, the answer remains the same.
Both American and British English use courtesy for politeness, consideration and respectful behavior. Curtesy is not the ordinary British spelling of courtesy.
British pronunciation may vary slightly from common American pronunciation, but the standard spelling does not change.
- American English: courtesy
- British English: courtesy
- Historical legal term: curtesy
Courtesy, Curtesy and Curtsy Are Different Words
These three words are easy to confuse:
Courtesy
Courtesy means politeness or a considerate act.
The receptionist treated us with courtesy.
Curtesy
Curtesy is a historical legal property right.
The legal historian examined the doctrine of curtesy.
Curtsy
A curtsy is a formal greeting traditionally performed by bending the knees.
The performer made a curtsy before leaving the stage.
A curtsy may express courtesy, but the words do not mean the same thing.
How to Remember the Correct Spelling
Use this memory trick:
Courtesy contains “our,” and good manners improve our relationships.
You can also connect courtesy with courteous:
- courtesy
- courteous
- courteously
All three words retain the “cour” beginning.
For the legal term, remember:
Curtesy concerns property.
Correct and Incorrect Examples
Everyday courtesy
- Correct: Please show courtesy to other passengers.
- Incorrect: Please show curtesy to other passengers.
Workplace communication
- Correct: As a professional courtesy, I wanted to notify you first.
- Incorrect: As a professional curtesy, I wanted to notify you first.
Customer service
- Correct: The company made a courtesy call before delivery.
- Incorrect: The company made a curtesy call before delivery.
Attribution
- Correct: Image courtesy of the National Archives.
- Incorrect: Image curtesy of the National Archives.
Legal history
- Correct: Curtesy gave a widower a qualifying interest in his wife’s property.
- Incorrect: Courtesy gave a widower a qualifying interest in his wife’s property.
Why Spell-Check May Not Correct Curtesy
A basic spell-checker asks whether a word exists. Because curtesy is a legitimate legal word, the software may accept it.
A human editor must ask a different question:
Does this word express the intended meaning?
If the sentence concerns manners, respect, customer service or goodwill, change curtesy to courtesy. If it concerns historical inheritance or property rights, verify the legal context before editing it.
LEARN MORE: Channel vs. Chanel
Grammar and Word Forms
Part of speech
Courtesy is primarily a noun:
- Her courtesy impressed the guests.
It can also modify another noun:
- courtesy call
- courtesy vehicle
- courtesy notice
Plural form
The plural of courtesy is courtesies:
- Small courtesies can improve workplace relationships.
Related forms
- Courteous — adjective
- Courteously — adverb
- Discourteous — adjective
- Discourtesy — noun
A Two-Question Proofreading Test
When choosing the spelling courtesy or curtesy, ask:
- Does the sentence refer to politeness, respect, help or goodwill?
- Use courtesy.
- Does it refer to a historical widower’s interest in property?
- Use curtesy.
This meaning-based test is more reliable than pronunciation because the two words look and may sound very similar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it courtesy or curtesy?
Use courtesy when you mean politeness, consideration, good manners or a thoughtful gesture. Use curtesy only for the specialized historical legal term.
What is the correct spelling: courtesy or curtesy?
The correct everyday spelling is courtesy. The spelling includes “ou” after the letter c.
Is curtesy a real word?
Yes. Curtesy is a real legal term associated with historical inheritance and property rights. It is not the normal word for politeness.
Does curtesy mean politeness?
No. In standard modern English, courtesy means politeness. Using curtesy for this meaning is normally an error.
Is curtesy the British spelling of courtesy?
No. Courtesy is the standard spelling in both American and British English.
How do Americans pronounce courtesy?
A common American pronunciation is approximately KUR-tuh-see, with stress on the first syllable.
What is the difference between courtesy and curtsy?
Courtesy means respectful behavior. A curtsy is a physical greeting made by bending the knees.
What is the plural of courtesy?
The plural is courtesies.
Should an editor always replace curtesy?
No. Replace it when the writer means politeness. Preserve it when it is accurately used in a legal or historical context.
Final Verdict
Courtesy is the word you need for politeness, good manners, respectful behavior and considerate actions. Curtesy is a rare historical legal term and should not replace courtesy in ordinary writing.
Remember the simplest rule:
Manners require courtesy; historical property law may require curtesy.