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
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
The story follows Kiki, a young witch who moves to the port city of Koriko with her cat Jiji and starts a flying courier service.
—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 July 2026
Kroutsick initially gave him a job tending the kitchen fires but after a year, my father’s German was so good that Kroutsick promoted him to his courier and moved him into his villa on the slaughterhouse grounds.
—
Jason Prokowiew,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
But in healthcare, the patient is still too often the courier.
—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In Ohio and Indiana, people can order Powerball tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for courier
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
2 July 2026
Kroutsick initially gave him a job tending the kitchen fires but after a year, my father’s German was so good that Kroutsick promoted him to his courier and moved him into his villa on the slaughterhouse grounds.
—
Jason Prokowiew,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
But in healthcare, the patient is still too often the courier.
—
Sachin H. Jain,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In Ohio and Indiana, people can order Powerball tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.
—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
28 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for courier
Cite this Entry
“Courier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courier. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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