What does courier mean?
Word: Courier
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Courier means a person or company paid to carry documents and packages from one place to another, usually fast.
How do you spell courier?
Syllables: cou - ri - er
Tricky part: Only one r comes straight after the ou. Writers often double it, as the French spelling courrier does.
Watch out for: courrier, corier
Memory tip: A courier is in too much of a rush to stop for a second r.
Courier in a sentence
Example 1: The courier left a parcel of books with the caretaker of our building.
Example 2: Dad sent the signed forms by courier so they would reach Pune by Monday.
Example 3: The shop promised that a courier would bring the new school bags within two days.
Fun Fact
Courier came into English from French and goes back to a Latin word meaning to run: the first couriers were messengers who ran or rode with important letters.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell Probe
Fill the blanks with 'o' and 'i'. Which option gives the meaning of that word?
1. c__ur__er 2. c__sh__er 3. b__rr__er 4. gl__c__er
a) a fence or bar that stops people from passing
b) a person who delivers parcels for a firm
c) a huge mass of ice that moves very slowly
d) a person who takes the money at a shop counter
Show answer
b) a person who delivers parcels for a firm. Only word 1 takes o and i; cashier, barrier and glacier all need a and i.
Spell Spies
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) couriar
b) package
c) delivery
d) warehouse
Show answer
a) couriar. Courier ends in er; couriar swaps in an a.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with its synonym:
1. courier 2. vendor 3. fragile a. messenger b. delicate c. seller
a) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
b) 1-c, 2-b, 3-a
c) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b
Show answer
d) 1-a, 2-c, 3-b. A courier is a messenger, a vendor a seller, and fragile things are delicate.
Word Tally
You get 2 marks for each misspelt word you find in the list. How many marks will you get?
courier, reciept, signiture, postcode, envelope
a) 6
b) 2
c) 4
d) 8
Show answer
c) 4. Receipt and signature are the misspelt pair, giving 2 x 2 = 4 marks.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why might a business choose a courier instead of ordinary post?
a) to get a parcel delivered faster
b) to avoid writing an address
c) to make a parcel lighter
d) to keep a parcel at home
Show answer
a) to get a parcel delivered faster
2. A courier works in a busy city. Which of these will the courier visit again and again in a day?
a) swimming pools
b) office reception desks
c) cinema halls
d) cricket stadiums
Show answer
b) office reception desks
