curtsey

1 synonym for curtsey, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A small bow, usually made by a woman or girl, in which the knees are briefly bent as a mark of respect.

Synonyms

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

curtsy

A small bow, usually made by a woman or girl, in which the knees are briefly bent as a mark of respect.

“She made a neat curtsey when the Queen came past.”

curtsy

To make a small bow with bent knees as a mark of respect.

“The pupils curtseyed to the visiting duchess.”

curtsy

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

make a curtsey drop a curtsey a low curtsey curtsey to the Queen

It belongs to formal or ceremonial settings.

Curtsey began as a variant of courtesy, recorded in 1525. That word came through Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Old French.

How do you spell curtsey?

Curtsey and curtsy are both accepted spellings. Curtsy is the more common form.

Is curtsey the same as courtesy?

No. Curtsey began as a variant of courtesy, but today it usually means the bow, while courtesy means polite behaviour.

What is the plural of curtsey?

The plural is curtsies or curtseys.