etiquette

Meaning

1. (countable, uncountable) The manners or decent behaviour to be observed in social or professional life; conventional decorum; the ceremonial code of polite society.
2. (countable, uncountable) The customary behavior of members of a profession, business, law, or sports team towards each other.
3. (countable, uncountable) A label used to indicate that a letter is to be sent by airmail.

Synonyms

courtesy

manners

propriety

ceremony

politeness

present

label

🏷️

protocol

decorum

dignity

fashion

formality

function

good manners

grace

law

li

liturgy

manner

regard

respect

rites

ritual

tag

good form

social code

culture

ethics

amenity

etiquettal

aristocracy

breeding

ceremonies

civility

code of conduct

conduct

custom

deontology

Translations

Etikette

étiquette

etichetta

🏷️

etiqueta

🏷️

εθιμοτυπία

etiquette

etiqueta

label

etiket

🏷️

cerimonial

manières

Höflichkeit

Anstand

galateo

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/

Etymology

Cognate with Picard: estiquier

Cognate with Old High German: stehhan

Cognate with German: stechen

Cognate with Old English: stician

In summary

1740, from French étiquette (“property, a little piece of paper, or a mark or title, affixed to a bag or bundle, expressing its contents, a label, ticket”), from Middle French estiquette (“ticket, memorandum”), from the Old French verb estechier, estichier, estequier (“to attach, stick”), (compare Picard estiquier (“to stick, pierce”)), from Frankish *stekan, *stikkjan (“to stick, pierce, sting”), from Proto-Germanic *stikaną, *stikōną, *staikijaną (“to be sharp, pierce, prick”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, to stab”).
Akin to Old High German stehhan (“to stick, attach, nail”) (German stechen (“to stick”)), Old English stician (“to pierce, stab, be fastened”).
The French Court of Louis XIV at Versailles used étiquettes (literally “little cards”) to remind courtiers to keep off of the grass and similar rules. More at stick (verb) and stitch. Doublet of ticket.