curtsey

SayKURT-seeUS/ˈkɝtsɪ/UK/ˈkɜːtsɪ/

Pluralcurtsies, curtseys

Verbcurtseys, curtseying, curtseyed

2 meanings of curtsey

1
nouncountable
A small bow made by bending the knees, usually by a woman or girl, to show respect.
Like dipping down for a moment to say "I respect you" without words.
The little girl made a curtsey when she met the queen.
He bowed and she answered with a small curtsey.
2
verbintransitive
To bend your knees in a small bow, usually as a woman or girl, to show respect.
Like bending down a little to say hello in a respectful way.
The girls learned to curtsey before meeting the principal.
She curtseyed politely and left the room.

Use it in a sentence

Write your own sentence with curtsey, and AI will tell you whether it fits and which meaning you used.

Origin

It comes from the word "courtesy," made shorter in the 1500s.