noun · neutral
courtship
UK/ˈkɔːtʃɪp/US/ˈkɔːrtʃɪp/COURT·ship
the period or process of romantic pursuit and dating that may lead to marriage; also used for mating rituals in animals
Examples
“Courtship rituals vary widely between cultures.”
“They were together for a long courtship before getting married.”
“In Part 1 you might be asked about dating or courtship customs in your country.”
Band 8 sentence
“While modern dating apps have changed how people meet, many societies still observe formal courtship rituals before marriage.”
Collocations
- courtship rituals
- traditional courtship
- engage in courtship
Word family
Common mistakes
He is in a courtship with her.→He is courting her.
They started courtship last year.→They started courting last year.
Say it for a higher band
5dating→6romance→7+courtship
Synonyms
dating
Easily confused
dating
“They have been dating for six months.”
Related words
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In -ship
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