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Definition of courtship noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

courtship

noun
 
/ˈkɔːtʃɪp/
 
/ˈkɔːrtʃɪp/
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  1. [countable, uncountable] (old-fashioned) the time when two people have a romantic relationship before they get married; the process of developing this relationship
    • They married after a short courtship.
    • Mr Elton’s courtship of Harriet
    Extra Examples
    • Because of the war they were obliged to conduct their courtship by post.
    • They often went there together during their courtship.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • long
    • brief
    • whirlwind
    verb + courtship
    • initiate
    courtship + noun
    • behaviour/​behavior
    • display
    • ritual
    preposition
    • during a/​the courtship
    See full entry
  2. [uncountable] the special way animals behave in order to attract a mate (= sexual partner)
    • the elaborate courtship display of the pigeon
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • long
    • brief
    • whirlwind
    verb + courtship
    • initiate
    courtship + noun
    • behaviour/​behavior
    • display
    • ritual
    preposition
    • during a/​the courtship
    See full entry
  3. [uncountable] courtship (of somebody/something) (formal) the process or act of attracting a business partner, etc.
    • the company’s courtship by the government
See courtship in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee courtship in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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noun
 
 
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