Courtship

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈkɔːt.ʃɪp/

Definitions

1. The period during which two people develop a romantic relationship before marriage or commitment, involving social activities and expressions of affection
2. The phase of romantic pursuit and relationship development where individuals engage in social interaction and demonstrate affection before formalizing their commitment
3. A period of romantic attraction between two people characterized by dating, socializing, and mutual expressions of care leading toward potential marriage or partnership

Etymology: The idea behind "courtship" starts in the splendour of royal palaces rather than in romance. "Court" once meant the attention paid to a powerful person: the flattery, favours and polished manners a courtier used to win a ruler's good will. The "-ship" ending, which marks a state or condition as in "friendship" or "kinship," turned that courtly pursuit into a named condition of its own. Only later did the word narrow to suitors pursuing a lover. The same courtly behaviour, the attentive manners and deliberate displays of respect, was simply redirected from a monarch to a prospective spouse. Courting a person's favour and courting a person's affection were, in this sense, the same activity.

Synonyms: wooing, dating, court

Antonyms: rejection