What does curtseying mean?
Curtseying is the present participle of the verb 'curtsy', describing the traditional gesture of respect in which a person — historically a woman — bends the knees and lowers the body while keeping the back straight. It functions as the female counterpart to the male bow and has long been a fixture of European court etiquette, from royal audiences and formal presentations at court to balls and theatrical performances. The word derives from 'courtesy', reflecting the gesture's origin as an expression of courtly manners, and it can be spelled with either '-sy-' or '-sey-' endings. In contemporary usage, curtseying appears most often in ceremonial settings, such as greetings to members of the British royal family, as well as in ballet and historical drama, where it evokes formality, deference, and old-world polish. Figuratively, it may describe any exaggerated show of deference or submission.
verb (present participle)The act of bending the knees and lowering the body as a gesture of respect or greeting, traditionally performed by women; it is the present participle of the verb 'curtsy' (also spelled 'curtsey').
- Bending the knees and lowering the body as a formal gesture of respect or greeting, traditionally by women.
"The young debutante practiced her curtseying for weeks before being presented at court."
"Lines of well-wishers waited outside the palace, each curtseying as the royal procession passed."
"In the ballet's opening scene, the corps de ballet moved gracefully across the stage, curtseying before the king."
The curtsy began as a full courtly 'reverence' in which women swept one leg far behind the other — over centuries it shrank to the quick knee-bend we know today.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of curtseying
The word comes from 'curtsy', a variant of 'courtesy', which entered Middle English from Old French 'courtoisie', meaning courtly behavior — literally the manners befitting a court. The verb 'curtsy' arose in the sixteenth century when the noun came to denote specifically the respectful downward bend made by women, evolving from the fuller 'reverence' performed in medieval courts. Cognates include 'courtesy', 'courteous', and 'courtier', all tracing back through Old French to Latin 'cohors' (court, enclosure).
Related word forms
How curtseying is actually used
'Curtseying' and its base verb are spelled either 'curtsy/curtseying' or 'curtsey/curtseying'; both spellings are accepted, with 'curtsy' somewhat more common in American usage and both found in British usage. The gesture is strongly associated with formal, ceremonial, or historical contexts — royal presentations, court etiquette, period drama — so everyday modern use tends to be figurative or nostalgic. It carries a connotation of deference and traditional politeness.
Easily confused with curtseying
Bowing is the equivalent respectful gesture performed by bending at the waist, traditionally done by men, whereas curtseying involves bending the knees and is traditionally done by women.