English Lexicon

Cortigiano

/ˌkortiˈdʒano/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #45000 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A courtier; a person who attends a royal court as a companion or adviser to the monarch or ruler.

    "The ambitious cortigiano sought to gain the favor of the duke through subtle flattery."
  2. 2

    A person who acts with servile flattery or sycophancy to gain advantage; a flatterer.

    "He despised the petty cortigiani who crowded the palace corridors just to secure personal privileges."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Italian noun 'cortigiano', stemming from 'corte' (court), originating from the Latin 'cohors' meaning enclosure or courtyard. The term historically referred to a person who attends a royal court, popularized globally by Baldassare Castiglione's Renaissance treatise 'Il Cortigiano' (The Book of the Courtier).

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