senatorial courtesy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2formal, academic, political/journalistic
Quick answer
What does “senatorial courtesy” mean?
An unwritten political custom in the United States whereby the Senate will defer to the judgment of a senator from the state where a presidential nominee is to serve by declining to confirm a nominee to whom the senator objects.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An unwritten political custom in the United States whereby the Senate will defer to the judgment of a senator from the state where a presidential nominee is to serve by declining to confirm a nominee to whom the senator objects.
The practice extends beyond judicial nominations to other federal appointments within a senator's home state, such as U.S. Attorneys or federal marshals. It functions as a de facto veto power for home-state senators, particularly those of the President's party, over appointments affecting their state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is almost exclusively American, referring to a specific U.S. Senate practice. In British political discourse, no direct equivalent exists, though concepts like 'parliamentary convention' or 'private member's interest' might cover similar ground regarding deference to local representatives.
Connotations
In American usage, it connotes both collegiality and political power-brokering. It can have positive connotations (preserving harmony, respecting local knowledge) or negative ones (enabling obstruction, parochialism).
Frequency
Very high frequency in American political reporting and academic texts on U.S. government. Extremely rare to non-existent in British English outside of discussions of American politics.
Grammar
How to Use “senatorial courtesy” in a Sentence
[Senator/Party] invoked senatorial courtesy to block [Nominee/Appointment].The nomination was stalled due to senatorial courtesy.Senatorial courtesy dictates that...Out of senatorial courtesy, the committee delayed the hearing.Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in political science, American studies, and constitutional law to describe informal institutional norms and separation of powers.
Everyday
Rarely used outside of following U.S. political news concerning judicial or executive branch nominations.
Technical
Precise term in U.S. parliamentary procedure and legislative affairs.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “senatorial courtesy”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “senatorial courtesy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “senatorial courtesy”
- Using it to describe general politeness in the Senate. Confusing it with the filibuster. Applying the concept to political systems outside the United States.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an unwritten political custom or tradition, not a statute or a formal Senate rule.
Not directly. The Senate must confirm the nominee. If a home-state senator invokes senatorial courtesy, fellow senators typically honor it, making confirmation highly unlikely. The President can only try to persuade the senator or nominate someone else.
A blue slip is a piece of paper the Senate Judiciary Committee sends to home-state senators for their opinion on a judicial nominee. Not returning it, or returning it negative, is the modern procedural mechanism for invoking senatorial courtesy.
Primarily to nominees for federal positions within a specific state (e.g., district judges, U.S. Attorneys). It traditionally does not apply to high-level, national positions like Cabinet secretaries or Supreme Court Justices.
An unwritten political custom in the United States whereby the Senate will defer to the judgment of a senator from the state where a presidential nominee is to serve by declining to confirm a nominee to whom the senator objects.
Senatorial courtesy is usually formal, academic, political/journalistic in register.
Senatorial courtesy: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɛn.əˈtɔːr.i.əl ˈkʌt.ə.si/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsen.əˈtɔːr.i.əl ˈkɝː.t̬ə.si/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Hold a blue slip over a nomination (directly related).”
- “Give a nominee the courtesy of a hearing (opposite action).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a senator from Texas being very 'courteous' to a senator from Florida by not interfering with who the Floridian wants as a judge in their own state. It's political manners with teeth.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOVERNANCE IS A SOCIAL CLUB (norms of courtesy, unwritten rules, deference to members). POWER IS TERRITORY (respect for a senator's 'home turf').
Practice
Quiz
Senatorial courtesy is most closely associated with which of the following?