courier

UK: /ˈkʊəriə^r/ US: /ˈkɜriɚ, ˈkʊr-/ ,(kûr′ē ər, kŏŏr′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

cour•i•er /ˈkɜriɚ, ˈkʊr-/   n. 

1. a messenger:
   [countable] A special courier brought us the overnight package.
   [uncountable] It was brought by courier.
2. British Terms [countable] a tour guide for a travel agency.

See -cour-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

cour•i•er  (kûr′ē ər, kŏŏr′-), n. 

1. a messenger, usually traveling in haste, bearing urgent news, important reports or packages, diplomatic messages, etc.
2. any means of carrying news, messages, etc., regularly.
3. the conveyance used by a courier, as an airplane or ship.
4. British Terms [Chiefly Brit.] a tour guide for a travel agency.

• Late Latin curritor runner; see current, -tor
• Anglo-French cor(i)our, Old French coreor
• Latin -ārius -ary; replacing Middle English corour
• Latin currere) + -iere
• Italian corriere, equivalent. to corr(ere) to run (
• Middle French cour(r)ier
• 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

courier / ˈkʊərɪə/ noun

1. a special messenger, esp one carrying diplomatic correspondence
2. a person who makes arrangements for or accompanies a group of travellers on a journey or tour

verb

1. (transitive) to send (a parcel, letter, etc) by courier

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French courrier, from Old Latin corriere, from correre to run, from Latin currere