Skip to main content
courting

courting

14 4.6
Trying to get someone's love, often with marriage in mind
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔrtɪŋ/
: cortejo
  • Music penetrated the fluid and my wandering soul; a piercing sweetness from our Dakota courting flute.
  • courting ritual

But there's a great quote that says texting isn't courting.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • We're just doing a little courting, that's all.

  • The girls easily saw through those 'disguises' and the courting never ended in marriage.

    Academic text (1995)
  • I kind of enjoyed the courting time.

  • Your courting days are over.

  • Courting can be pretty expensive these days.

  • The American youth expected marriage to follow after a period of serious courting that more and more frequently included sexual intimacy.

    Academic text (1994)
  • The courting period.

  • The most dramatic custom of their beauty cult is the Gerewol courting ritual.

    Academic text (2006)
  • During their courting, they went on romantic dinners and shared long walks in the park.

  • He was nervous about asking her out, but he wanted to start courting her properly.

Synonyms

dating
vscourting
318 1.6

Spending time with someone in a romantic way to see if you want a relationship

is the act of seeking affection with marriage as the clear intention
courtship
vscourting
38 3.6

Trying to get someone's romantic attention, often before marriage

is the same act focused on finding a marriage partner
wooing
vscourting
4 5.5

To try to make someone love you, often to marry them

is the general act of seeking affection especially for marriage
suit
vscourting
  • Archaic
4 6.4

Trying to win someone's love, often to marry them

is the romantic pursuit aimed specifically at marriage rather than general petitions

Antonyms

94 3.5

Not caring for someone or something that needs care

58 4.2

Not paying attention to something on purpose

How Romantic

courting
14 4.6
wooing
4 5.5
dating
318 1.6
flirting
37 3.5

Surface Forms

courting singular
courtings plural

Morphology

courting = court (transparent) = court + ing

The noun is the standard verbal noun/gerund formed from the verb 'court'; the meaning 'act of wooing' is directly derived.

Etymology

Courting comes from court, which was originally the place where rulers or rich people met guests and decided who had their 'favor'. So to 'court' someone was to try to win that favor, and courting now means trying to win a person's love, often with marriage in mind.