What does discourteous mean?
Discourteous is an adjective describing someone who shows a lack of courtesy — in other words, a person who is rude, impolite, or lacking in good manners. It is most often applied to behaviour: a discourteous reply, a discourteous interruption, or discourteous conduct towards guests or staff. The word sits in a slightly formal register, making it a favourite of complaint letters, workplace policies, and etiquette writing, where it conveys disapproval with measured dignity rather than blunt anger. It derives from 'courteous', which itself traces back through Old French to Latin 'cohors', meaning a court or enclosed yard — so to be discourteous is etymologically to fall short of the standards expected at a royal court. Its antonyms include courteous, polite, and civil. Related forms include the adverb 'discourteously' and the noun 'discourteousness', though the simpler nouns 'discourtesy' and 'rudeness' are far more common in everyday use.
adjectiveShowing a lack of courtesy; rude or impolite in manner, especially towards others.
- Showing rudeness or lack of courtesy in manner or speech.
"It was discourteous of him to leave without thanking his hosts."
"The waiter was reprimanded for his discourteous treatment of an elderly customer."
"She found it discourteous that he checked his phone throughout the entire meeting."
It comes from 'court' — because once upon a time, behaving badly at court could cost you your head.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of discourteous
Discourteous is formed from the adjective 'courteous' with the negative prefix 'dis-'. 'Courteous' entered Middle English from Old French 'curteis', meaning having the manners of a court, ultimately from Latin 'cohors' (genitive 'cohortis'), denoting an enclosure or court. The word has been used since roughly the sixteenth century to describe behaviour falling below the standard of polite, courtly manners.
Related word forms
How discourteous is actually used
Somewhat formal register; more common in written English than casual speech. Carries a slightly old-fashioned, genteel connotation compared to blunter words like 'rude'.
Easily confused with discourteous
'Discourteous' means rude, while 'encouraged' means given hope or confidence — the words share only the 'dis-/en-' prefix pattern and are unrelated in meaning.