: the conduct or procedure required by good breeding or prescribed by authority to be observed in social or official life
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The French word étiquette means "ticket" or "label attached to something for identification." In 16th-century Spain, the French word was borrowed (and altered to etiqueta) to refer to the written protocols describing orders of precedence and behavior demanded of those who appeared at court. Eventually, etiqueta came to be applied to the court ceremonies themselves as well as the documents which outlined the requirements for them. Interestingly, this then led to French speakers of the time attributing the second sense of "proper behavior" to their étiquette, and in the middle of the 18th century English speakers finally adopted both the word and the second meaning from the French.
Her failure to respond to the invitation was a serious breach of etiquette. the couple exhibited poor etiquette when they left the party without saying good-bye to the host and hostess
Recent Examples on the WebLessons covered table manners, dating etiquette and job-interview comportment, as well as tips on hygiene, dressing and makeup. Alex Williams, New York Times, 24 June 2022 Also unacceptable, according to Collins: The agency's phone etiquette. Alicia Adamczyk, Fortune, 23 June 2022 Carla Bevins, an assistant teaching professor of communication at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business, focuses on interpersonal communication, etiquette, and conflict management. Leanne Italie, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2022 What is your opinion on the proper etiquette on death notifications to relatives, especially immediate family members? Jacobina Martin, Washington Post, 19 May 2022 Women learn business etiquette, including when to hug and how to smile (pleasantly expose the upper eight teeth), while men study to become butlers or bodyguards. Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Mar. 2022 Players throw from concrete tee boxes on an 18-hole course and adhere to rules of etiquette, such as letting solo players play through or returning stray discs if there is a phone number on the back. Valerie Bauerlein, WSJ, 25 Mar. 2022 Similarly, there is an etiquette to exiting a plane. Olivia Muenter, Woman's Day, 8 June 2022 Believe it or not, there's an etiquette to saunas in Finland. Latifah Al-hazza, Travel + Leisure, 7 May 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
French étiquette, literally, ticket — more at ticket entry 1