# courier

/ˈkɝiɝ/ (US) · /kˈɜːɹɪɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/courier
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. delivery person or company

noun · CEFR B1

a person or company that delivers messages, documents, or packages quickly.

For teachers: a person or commercial entity employed to transport and deliver messages, documents, or parcels.

- The courier arrived at the office to pick up the legal documents.
- We decided to hire a private courier to ensure the sensitive medical samples reached the laboratory before the end of the business day.

Usage: Often used for private delivery services rather than the national postal system.

### 2. travel guide

noun · CEFR B2 · British English

a person who looks after a group of people traveling on a holiday.

For teachers: a person employed by a travel company to assist and guide tourists during their journey.

- Our holiday courier met us at the airport and showed us to the bus.
- The resort courier was responsible for coordinating local excursions and resolving any accommodation issues for the guests during their stay.

Teaching tip: This sense is more common in British English; American English speakers usually prefer 'tour guide'.

### 3. to send via delivery service

verb · CEFR B2

to send something using a special delivery person or service.

For teachers: to send or transport goods or documents via a courier service.

- I will courier the contract to you so you can sign it today.
- The law firm couriered the original deeds to the client's residence to avoid any potential delays associated with the standard postal service.

Usage: This is a transitive verb that requires a direct object.

### 4. typewriter-style font

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a style of text that looks like it was made by an old typewriter.

For teachers: a monospaced slab serif typeface designed to resemble typewriter output.

- The screenplay was written in Courier font to make it easier to read.
- The programmer preferred using Courier for his code editor because the fixed-width characters helped him align his syntax correctly.

Usage: Usually capitalized as it is a proper name of a font family.

## Examples

- The courier delivered the documents to my office this morning.
- Since the contract needs a physical signature by tomorrow, we should send it via an overnight courier.
- In the era of digital logistics, the role of the bicycle courier remains vital in dense urban centers where traffic congestion renders motorized delivery inefficient.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.