What does courting mean?
Courting is the act of seeking to win someone's affection, traditionally with marriage in mind. As the present participle of the verb 'to court', it describes the deliberate, often extended process by which one person pays romantic attention to another — visits, gifts, letters, and expressions of devotion — before any formal engagement. In contemporary English it tends to sound old-fashioned or formal compared with 'dating', and it frequently implies a serious, morally sanctioned intention to wed; some religious communities reserve the term precisely for this purpose-driven alternative to casual dating. The word also has an established figurative life: to be 'courting disaster' or 'courting controversy' is to knowingly invite risk or trouble, a usage common in political and business journalism. Rooted in the language of medieval courts, courting retains an aura of formality, patience, and ceremony that makes it a distinctive and evocative addition to everyday vocabulary.
The action or period of wooing a romantic partner; the process of seeking someone's love or agreement to marry.
"Their courting lasted three years, conducted mostly by post."
As a bare noun, 'courting' is now somewhat dated; modern writing more often uses 'courtship'.
Paying romantic attention to someone in order to win their affection or hand in marriage; figuratively, knowingly inviting risk or disfavour.
"He spent the autumn courting her with walks along the river."
Used chiefly in progressive constructions ('is courting', 'was courting') and in the figurative phrase 'courting disaster'.
To 'court' someone once meant to visit them at the royal court — which is why being charming still carries the faint whiff of palaces and politics.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of courting
Courting comes from the verb 'court', which derives from Old French 'cort' (from Latin 'cohors', meaning an enclosure or retinue) — originally referring to a royal or princely court. In medieval and early modern Europe, to court someone was literally to seek their favour at court, whether in love or in politics, and the romantic sense of wooing emerged from this aristocratic practice. Its cognates include courtesy, courteous, courtier, and courtly, all descendants of the same notion of refined behaviour at a ruler's household.
Related word forms
How courting is actually used
'Courting' carries a distinctly old-fashioned, often chaperoned connotation in modern English — it evokes a formal, deliberate stage of romance rather than casual dating, though some communities (notably conservative Christian groups) use 'courting' deliberately to mean dating with intent to marry. The figurative sense ('courting disaster') remains common in journalism and is neutral-to-negative in tone.
Easily confused with courting
A courtyard is an open area enclosed by buildings, whereas courting refers to romantic pursuit — they share only the root 'court'.
Coating is a layer covering a surface; courting is romantic attention — similar sound but unrelated meanings.