courier

noun

cou·​ri·​er ˈku̇r-ē-ər 

ˈkər-ē-,

ˈkə-rē-

1

: messenger: such as

a

: a member of a diplomatic (see diplomatic sense 2) service entrusted with bearing messages

b(1)

: an espionage agent transferring secret information

(2)

: a runner of contraband (see contraband sense 2)

drug couriers

c

: a member of the armed services whose duties include carrying mail, information, or supplies

2

: a traveler's paid attendant

especially : a tourists' guide employed by a travel agency

Synonyms

• bootlegger
• contrabandist
• runner
• smuggler

Examples of courier in a Sentence

Police recently arrested a drug courier in our neighborhood.

A courier just left a package for you on the porch.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ritchson plays a high-end courier racing against time to deliver a life-saving organ, with Wilson as a medical professional caught in the crossfire. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Feb. 2025

These dogs are so smart that some of them have found work in places like tracking, courier work, and sniffing. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

Drivers seem to be driving worse, in larger and heavier cars, more distracted by the increasing ubiquity of devices and navigating proliferating couriers for food, groceries and e-commerce goods. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 25 Jan. 2025

Advertisement Dodgers Before Roki Sasaki’s posting, MLB found no evidence of handshake deal with Dodgers Jan. 18, 2025 All along, the Dodgers also knew who the best couriers of that message would be. —Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Middle French corier, courrier, borrowed from Italian corriere, from correre "to run" (going back to Latin currere) + -iere -ier — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing courier

• vaunt-courier

Rhymes for courier

• furrier
• spurrier

Kids Definition

courier

noun

cou·​ri·​er ˈku̇r-ē-ər 

ˈkər-ē-,

ˈkə-rē-

: a messenger especially in the diplomatic service

Etymology

Middle English courrier "a person who carries (runs) messages from one place to another quickly," from early Italian corriere (same meaning), derived from Latin currere "to run" — related to current