courier
KOO-ree-er
/ˈkʊriər/
A messenger who transports goods, documents, or urgent packages, typically for a commercial delivery service.
Unlike a standard postal worker, a courier usually implies speed, direct point-to-point delivery, and high security for specific items.
The story behind the word. The word courier runs deep into history, tracing back to the Latin verb 'currere', meaning 'to run'. In medieval times, a courier was a literal runner who carried royal decrees and urgent military messages across kingdoms, risking life and limb to deliver news swiftly.
Word relationships
- messenger: A general term for anyone carrying a message, whereas a courier usually works for a commercial delivery service.
- runner: Implies physical running or historical foot-delivery, whereas a courier uses modern transport.
- sender: The person who originates the package, whereas the courier is the intermediary transporter.
Commonly confused with
- carrier: A carrier is the company or system that transports goods (like an airline or postal service), while a courier is the specific person or service delivering the item.
Word family
- couriered (verb): Sent or delivered via a courier service.
- couriering (noun): The activity or business of delivering items as a courier.
Collocations
- express courier
- courier service
- bicycle courier
- hand-delivered by courier
Example sentences
- "The law firm hired a private courier to deliver the sensitive contracts directly to the courthouse before the deadline." Legal document delivery
- "A courier of the King, who had been dispatched from Paris, arrived with the urgent news." Historical reference
Memory hook
Think of a courier as someone who is always 'currying' favor by 'running' to deliver your packages on time. Courier: The runner who carries.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to a general mail carrier who delivers standard daily mail to every household on a route.
Fun facts
- In ancient Persia, the royal courier system was so efficient that it inspired the unofficial motto of the US Postal Service: 'Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers...'
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.