What is the Latin word for courteous?

The usual Latin words for “courteous” are coma, hūmānus, urbānus; also officiōsus, benignus, līberālis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“courteous” in Latin

comaThe hair of the head.; foliage, ears, blades, stalks of trees, grass (as though resembling hair)hūmānushuman (of man, people); humane, kind, philanthropic; cultured, refined urbānusof or belonging to a city; urban; fond of, or devoted to cities; cultivated, sophisticated, polished, refined officiōsusattentive, dutiful, obliging; officious benignuskind, good, friendly, pleasant; beneficent, obliging, bounteous; favorable, mild līberālisfreedom; dignified, honorable, befitting a freedman; generous, liberal, bountiful, ample blanduspleasant, agreeable; enticing, seductive, alluring; persuasive affābilisthat can be easily spoken to or accessed; affable, courteous, kind, friendly mānsuēscōto tame, render mild, gentle, or peaceable; to become or grow tame, gentle, mild, soft

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

courteous

comis (obliging to all, without regard to rank): humanus (mild, from principle and nobleness of character). (The words are found in this connection and order), comis et humanus: bellus et humanus (Cic.): urbanus (polite): officiosus (ready to render a service): benignus (kind, well-disposed): liberalis (showing a friendly disposition; e.g., answer, invitation): blandus (captivating, engaging in manner; polite in words): affabilis (condescending or affable in conversation, or speaking to others): mansuetus (sociable, in general) [☞ civilis, in the sense of “affable or civil,” belongs to the post-classic prose]: to give a courteous refusal, belle negare aliquid (Quint., Cic., Pet. Cons., 12). Courteous persons, homines belli (Cic., Att., 1, 1): courteous manners or behaviour, comitas; liberalitas: a courteous invitation, invitatio benigna, familiaris: He is very courteous to me, perhonorificus in me est. In a very courteous and friendly manner, perhonorifice atque amice.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for courteous?: The usual Latin words for “courteous” are coma, hūmānus, urbānus; also officiōsus, benignus, līberālis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.