court·ship

[kawrt-ship, kohrt-]
noun
1.
the wooing of one person by another.
2.
the period during which such wooing takes place.
3.
solicitation of favors, applause, etc.
4.
Ethology. behavior in animals that occurs before and during mating, often including elaborate displays.
5.
Obsolete. courtly behavior; courtesy; gallantry.

Origin:
1580–90; court + -ship

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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00:10
Courtship is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
Collins
World English Dictionary
courtship (ˈkɔːtʃɪp) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  the act, period, or art of seeking the love of someone with intent to marry
2.  the seeking or soliciting of favours
3.  obsolete courtly behaviour

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

courtship
1580, "behavior of a courtier," from court + -ship. Meaning "paying court to a woman with intention of marriage" is from 1590s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Males visited the sites and displayed courtship behavior, hoping to attract females.
Images of human-machine courtship are omnipresent in pop culture.
The courtship was quick and the relationship was more than anyone could imagine it would be.
Get a close-up view of the bizarre, sometimes painful, courtship rituals of dragonflies in this feature.
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