Courtships

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A period during which individuals seek to establish romantic connections and build emotional bonds
2. The practices and rituals involved in attracting a partner for a relationship, often characterized by gestures of affection
3. A phase of intentional social interaction aimed at forming an intimate relationship, typically marked by dating and shared experiences

Etymology: "Courtships" is simply the plural of "courtship," so the noun itself is what needs explaining. Its base, "court," originally carried the sense of the attention and deference shown to someone in a royal household: the courtly favour a person sought from those in power. Adding the suffix "-ship," which forms nouns for a state or condition (as in "friendship" or "kinship"), produced a word for the behaviour involved in winning that favour. Over time the sense narrowed. The idea of currying favour with a powerful figure was gradually applied to the pursuit of a romantic partner, so that the courting of a lover came to be described with the same word. The plural "courtships" simply counts separate episodes of that pursuit, so each one is a distinct attempt to win someone's affection.

Synonyms: romances, relationships, engagements

Antonyms: breakups