What does curtsied mean?
Curtsied is the past tense of curtsy, the traditional gesture of respect in which a person — historically a woman or girl — bends the knees and lowers the body slightly while keeping the back straight. It is performed as a greeting or sign of deference, most familiarly before members of a royal family, but also in formal introductions, ballet, and period drama. The act itself dates to centuries-old European court etiquette, and the verb derives from the same root as 'courtesy,' reflecting its origins in courtly manners. Today, curtsying survives mainly in ceremonial and theatrical contexts, giving the word a distinctly formal, old-world flavor. Writers use 'curtsied' to evoke elegance, hierarchy, and ritual politeness, whether describing a debutante meeting a monarch or a dancer acknowledging applause after a performance.
verb (past tense and past participle of 'curtsy')Curtsied is the past tense of the verb curtsy, meaning to perform a respectful bow made by bending the knees and lowering the body, traditionally by women and girls as a greeting or gesture of deference.
- To have performed a respectful gesture of deference by bending the knees and lowering the body slightly, especially by women or girls toward someone of higher social rank.
"The young debutante curtsied gracefully before greeting the ambassador."
"The ballerina curtsied to thunderous applause at the end of her performance."
"Each guest curtsied briefly as she was presented to the duchess."
That elegant dip at royal receptions is literally called a 'courtesy' — because it began as an everyday gesture of good manners, not just palace protocol.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of curtsied
The verb 'curtsy' arose in the sixteenth century from the phrase 'courtesy,' which originally meant a courteous expression of respect, later narrowing to the specific physical bow. The word traces back through Middle English and Old French 'corteisie' to Latin 'curia,' meaning a royal court, making it cognate with 'courtly,' 'courtier,' and 'courteous.' The form 'curtsied' follows regular English inflection, and the variant spellings 'curtsey' and 'curtesied' reflect the same development in British usage.
Related word forms
How curtsied is actually used
The spelling variants 'curtsied' (from curtsy) and 'curtesied' (from curtsey) are both accepted, with 'curtsy' now more common in American English and 'curtsey' in British English. The word carries connotations of formality, tradition, and respect; it is largely confined to contexts involving royalty, formal ceremonies, dance, and historical settings.
Easily confused with curtsied
'Cursed' means being under a curse or expressing anger, while 'curtsied' refers to performing a respectful knee-bending bow.