kowtow
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to act in an obsequious manner; show servile deference.
-
to touch the forehead to the ground while kneeling, as an act of worship, reverence, apology, etc., especially in former Chinese custom.
noun
verb
-
to touch the forehead to the ground as a sign of deference: a former Chinese custom
-
(often foll by to) to be servile or obsequious (towards)
noun
Other Word Forms
- kowtower noun
Etymology
Origin of kowtow
First recorded in 1795–1805, kowtow is from the Chinese word kòutóu, literally, “knock (one's) head”
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.
Smaller domestic military budgets also reduce the need for companies to kowtow to politicians by maintaining unprofitable operations in their districts or supporting civilian projects.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 1, 2026
He’s also asking for more streamlining in zoning to combat the rampant NIMBYism that prevents more shelters and interim housing, and that some elected leaders kowtow to on a regular basis.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 18, 2022
Tributary states sent semi-regular missions to the Chinese imperial court to acknowledge the superiority of the Chinese emperor and perform rituals of submission, known as the kowtow.
From Salon • Feb. 13, 2021
The kowtow meant prostrating oneself before the emperor or a patriarch and knocking one’s head on the ground.
From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2020
The entitlement that came with being one of the silk feathered hats—that all the groundlings were there simply to kowtow to your every need.
From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
