curtsy

American  

[kurt-see] / ˈkɜrt si /

Or curtsey

noun

curtsies plural

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

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verb (used without object)

curtsied, curtsying

1. to make a curtsy.

curtsy British  

/ ˈkɜːtsɪ /

noun

1. 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

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verb

1. (intr) to make a curtsy

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• curtsies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of curtsy

First recorded in 1520–30; variant of courtesy

Explanation

A curtsy is an old-fashioned half-bow that shows extreme respect. A woman or girl is generally expected to curtsy when meeting the Queen of England. There aren't many opportunities these days to curtsy, stepping forward with one foot, slightly bending both knees, and lowering your head. You're much more likely to read a reference to a curtsy in an old book or observe an actor curtsy on a stage than to see people curtsy in real life. The word curtsy sounds a little bit like courtesy, and that's exactly where it comes from.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

curtsy curtsies curtsied curtsying

Valerie’s career is a long curtsy to declining standards and compromises; her 2014 journey thumbed its nose at the town’s prestige-chasing.

From Salon ● Mar. 26, 2026

"That's why I grabbed his hands - because I forgot to curtsy," she said.

From BBC ● Mar. 24, 2026

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 ● Feb. 4, 2026

"I don't know, I just do. When you love it, you do it, right? 'Don't sleep, don't eat, just do it on repeat,' to quote myself," she said with a mock curtsy.

From Barron's ● Jan. 24, 2026

She swept into the smoothest curtsy I’d ever seen.

From "Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine

It stops with a symphony of delicate squeals, and sometimes curtsies to let people with wheelchairs and canes get out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2019

“The lady typically curtsies, keeping her eyes up. A gentleman bows with his eyes cast down.”

From Reuters ● Aug. 21, 2018

Though curtsies are a thing of the past, the Royal Box remains a prominent part of the Centre Court pageantry.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 13, 2018

CHASKA, Minn. -- We're not sure what Arnold Palmer would have thought about Rory McIlroy's bows and Phil Mickelson's responding curtsies, but there's no debating this "Brawl By The Mall" has turned ugly.

From Golf Digest ● Oct. 2, 2016

No need for bows and curtsies, handshakes and socially useful phrases now!

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

Standing in a shadowy archway on a bridge leading into Broughton Castle in Oxfordshire, England, sheep nibbling the grass below, Julianne Moore curtsied deeply, lowering her eyes before a splendidly gowned woman.

From New York Times ● Mar. 29, 2024

As people approached the exit, many spontaneously curtsied and bowed as they looked back on the Queen's coffin.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2022

As Queen Mary curtsied to her granddaughter and kissed each cheek, she admonished: “Lilibet, your skirts are much too short for mourning,” Holt writes.

From Seattle Times ● May 26, 2022

May curtsied to Queen Elizabeth II on Wednesday afternoon and resigned.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 24, 2019

I hated how Grandma curtsied and stepped backwards when this happened.

From "March Forward, Girl" by Melba Pattillo Beals

Her most famous role was to present the trophies at Wimbledon, where - it was reported - she was instrumental in ending the tradition of players bowing and curtsying when passing the royal box.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2025

And out there, three wetsuit-hooded surfers are just visible in the frigid waters, their boards bowing and curtsying in the swells.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 20, 2023

After about 90 minutes of shopping for “Bridgerton” merchandise, bowing, curtsying and dancing, guests at the San Francisco event were ushered into the main ballroom.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2022

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who was seen curtsying to the coffin, are among dignitaries who have already paid their respects.

From Reuters ● Sep. 18, 2022

I could see any thoughts Vonetta had about reciting poetry, tap-dancing, and curtsying vanished.

From "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia