Cool MateCourtesy vs Good manners
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Courtesy
Top 2,000 (common)C1noun
Good manners
Top 2,000 (common)
| Courtesy | Good manners | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈkɜːtəsi/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈkɜːrtəsi/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ɡʊd ˈmænəz//🇺🇸 //ɡʊd ˈmænərz// |
| Meaning | Kindness or polite behavior towards others. | Polite behaviors and actions towards others. |
| Example | He showed great courtesy by holding the door open for everyone. | She always uses good manners at the dinner table. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | C1 | - |
| Part of speech | noun | |
| Collocations | great, unfailing, utmost, do somebody, have, show, with courtesy, courtesy to, a matter of courtesy | have good manners, teach good manners, show good manners, practice good manners, good manners at home |
| Antonyms | discourtesy, rudeness | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'courteous', which is an adjective., Incorrectly using 'courtesy' as a verb., Using 'courtesy' too frequently; it can sound over the top in casual conversations. | Confused with bad manners., Not used in the plural form., Assuming it only refers to dining etiquette. |
| Usage notes | Use 'courtesy' in both formal and informal settings to describe polite actions. It's not typically used in casual conversations and sounds more polished in formal writing. | Use 'good manners' to describe polite behavior, especially in social contexts. Avoid overusing in casual settings where politeness is assumed. |
Frequently asked questions: Courtesy vs Good manners
What's the difference between Courtesy and Good manners?
Courtesy: Kindness or polite behavior towards others. Good manners: Polite behaviors and actions towards others.
Can you show an example of each?
Courtesy: He showed great courtesy by holding the door open for everyone. Good manners: She always uses good manners at the dinner table.
Can I use Courtesy and Good manners interchangeably?
Not always. Courtesy and Good manners are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.