etiquette

/ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/

etiquette means the manners or decent behaviour to be observed in social or professional life; conventional decorum; the ceremonial code of polite society.

etiquette is pronounced /ˈɛt.ɪˌkɛt/.

Etymology

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

noun

The manners or decent behaviour to be observed in social or professional life; conventional decorum; the ceremonial code of polite society.“20 May 2018, Hadley Freeman in The Guardian, Is Meghan Markle the American the royals have needed all along? Much shock was expressed in the British press about the Palace’s utter failure to control the Markles and the Markles’ lack of etiquette.”
The customary behavior of members of a profession, business, law, or sports team towards each other.“Cycling's complex etiquette contains an unwritten rule that riders in contention for a race win should not be penalised for sheer misfortune.”
A label used to indicate that a letter is to be sent by airmail.

Words closest in meaning

By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.

convenance 85% match — conventional propriety vs etiquette →
urbanity 83% match — Behaviour that is polished, refined, courteous. vs etiquette →
politesse 83% match — Civility, politeness, courtesy or gallantry; genteel politeness or an instance of this. vs etiquette →
deportment 82% match — Bearing; manner of presenting oneself. vs etiquette →
gentilesse 82% match — Courtesy, refinement; gentleness. vs etiquette →
comportment 81% match — The manner in which one behaves or conducts oneself. vs etiquette →
gentility 81% match — The state of being elegant, genteel, having good breeding, or being socially superior. vs etiquette →
punctilio 81% match — A fine point in exactness of conduct, ceremony, etiquette or procedure. vs etiquette →