Synonyms

curtsy

American

[kurt-see] / ˈkɜrt si /

Or curtsey

noun

plural

curtsies

a respectful bow made by women and girls, consisting of bending the knees and lowering the body.

verb (used without object)

curtsied, curtsying

to make a curtsy.

curtsy British

/ ˈkɜːtsɪ /

noun

a formal gesture of greeting and respect made by women in which the knees are bent, the head slightly bowed, and the skirt held outwards

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

(intr) to make a curtsy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of curtsy

First recorded in 1520–30; variant of courtesy

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Miss Priest murmured her approval, then turned to Tiamat and made a deep curtsy.

From Literature

She took the daughters to swimming lessons, taught them to curtsy and helped arrange membership for them in the Brownies and Girl Guides.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Mrs. Potter, it’s a pleasure to meet you and Miss Penelope,” the Atkinson ladies were saying, with formal bows and curtsies.

From Literature

When they accepted the award on her behalf - as is customary for presenters- Hahn curtsied and said "I'm Michelle Williams".

From BBC

Cassiopeia curtsied and spread both arms wide, as if to embrace the earth itself.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023