courtly

adj

1. Befitting of a royal court; reflecting the manners or behaviour of people at court.

   “He swept off his hat and made a deep courtly bow.”

   “The troubadours sang songs about courtly love.”

   “Corin: You have too courtly a wit for me; I’ll rest.”

   “[…] you must give men of Quality leave to speak in a Language more Gentile and Courtly than the ordinary sort of mankind.”

   “He is a Master of Civility, no less well-bred to his own Sex than courtly to the other.”

2. Of or relating to a royal court.

   “She tried to remain aloof from courtly intrigues.”

   “in houres secure from courtly strife”

   “The rich are in general slaves to fear, and submit to courtly power with the trembling duplicity of a spaniel.”

   “He had for years held some clerical office appertaining to courtly matters, which had enabled him to live in London,”

3. (obsolete)Overly eager to please or obey.

   “Here FLATT’RY, eldest born of guile, Weaves with rare skill the silken smile, The courtly cringe, the supple bow, The private squeeze, the Levee vow,”

   “That judgment James had notoriously obtained […] by dismissing scrupulous magistrates, and by placing on the bench other magistrates more courtly.”

adv

1. In the manner of a royal court; in a manner befitting of a royal court.

   “Then will I deck thee Princely, instruct thee courtly, And present thee to the Queene as my gift.”

   “[…] where, in the name of wonder, have you learn’d to talk so courtly?”

   “1766, Elizabeth Griffith, The Double Mistake, London: J. Almon et al., Act I, Scene 3, p. 12, Very courtly and correctly spoken on all sides, my lord;”

   “The driver waited courtly by the open doors of the saloon.”