Etiquette

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/

Definitions

1. A system of conventional rules and practices that dictate proper behavior in social interactions and settings
2. A framework of accepted norms and behaviors that guides individuals on how to act in various social situations
3. A collection of established norms and practices that govern appropriate conduct in social interactions and formal situations

Etymology: In 1740, English borrowed "etiquette" from French, where it had begun as a humble label. The French word came from Middle French "estiquette," meaning a ticket or memorandum, which traces back to an Old French verb meaning "to attach" or "to stick." That verb, in turn, came from a Frankish root meaning "to pierce" or "to prick," so the word's ancestors are literally about sticking something onto something else. The turn from paper tags to manners happened at the court of Louis XIV at Versailles. Courtiers there were handed small cards, called "étiquettes," listing the rules they had to follow, such as keeping off the grass. The cards were the rules themselves, and over time the word came to mean the rules rather than the card. "Etiquette" is a doublet of "ticket," meaning the two words descend from the same source but entered English by different routes.

Synonyms: manners, protocol, decorum, courtesy, conventions