Obs. Also 5 courtezane, -sane, 6 curtisan, 7 courtisan. [a. F. courtisan, ad. It. cortigiano, in Florio cortegiano a courtier, f. corte COURT. It. cortigiano is primarily adj., app. an extension of cortese (cortesi-ano) in its etymological sense (see COURTEOUS): cf. Parma, Parmese, Parmigiano, Parmesan.]
A. sb. One attached to the court of a prince: a. in 15–16th c. commonly used for a member of the papal Curia. (Cf. Boccaccio, Decam., ‘le maniere del papa … e di tutti i cortigiani.’)
1426. Paston Lett., No. 7, I. 24. On Maister Robert Sutton, a courtezane of the Court of Rome. Ibid., 25. Maister John Blodwelle … a suffisant courtezan of the seyd court.
1460. Capgrave, Chron., 216. With fraude of the courtesanes, whech were commensalis with the Pope, thei were illuded.
1563–87. Foxe, A. & M. (1684), I. 198/1. That it should be lawful for a few Curtisans and Cardinals … to chuse what Pope they list.
b. transf.
1669. Phil. Trans., IV. 986. Their Priests, and Courtisans, that is, the Learn’d among them [in Japan], which bear the Offices of the Court.
B. adj. (here used absol.). The court language (of Italy).
1549. Thomas, Hist. Italie, 3. Consideryng what a noumbre of diversitees they haue in theyr tounge, it is a merualle, that in maner all gentilmen dooe speake the courtisane.
1601. R. Johnson, Kingd. & Commw. (1603), 104. [Italy], To be descerned from the vulgar, they all in generall speake the courtisan.
