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
Cui and Miller allegedly paid about $10,000 as a deposit for the cryptographic device through a courier in the U.S. and wire transfer to a U.S. bank account, officials said.
—
Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Now, though, he was led away as an international drug smuggler who had tried to bring 60 kilograms (132lb) of cannabis, with a street value of £600,000 ($815,000) into England, duping his girlfriend into being one of his couriers.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Murphy’s bicycle courier wakes up from a coma in a deserted London hospital 28 days later to find that the world has been overrun with zombies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 June 2025
Lottery ticket courier companies are unregulated in Texas.
—Viola Flowers, NBC news, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for courier
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show current usage.
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Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 6 June 2025
Now, though, he was led away as an international drug smuggler who had tried to bring 60 kilograms (132lb) of cannabis, with a street value of £600,000 ($815,000) into England, duping his girlfriend into being one of his couriers.
—Stuart James, New York Times, 6 June 2025
Murphy’s bicycle courier wakes up from a coma in a deserted London hospital 28 days later to find that the world has been overrun with zombies.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 5 June 2025
Lottery ticket courier companies are unregulated in Texas.
—Viola Flowers, NBC news, 25 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for courier
Cite this Entry
“Courier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/courier. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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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