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curtsy

curt·sy
C c

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [kurt-see]
    • /ˈkɜrt si/
    • /ˈkɜːt.si/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [kurt-see]
    • /ˈkɜrt si/

Definitions of curtsy word

  • verb curtsy If a woman or a girl curtsies, she lowers her body briefly, bending her knees and sometimes holding her skirt with both hands, as a way of showing respect for an important person. 3
  • verb curtsy Curtsy is also a noun. 3
  • noun curtsy a formal gesture of greeting and respect made by women in which the knees are bent, the head slightly bowed, and the skirt held outwards 3
  • verb curtsy to make a curtsy 3
  • noun curtsy a gesture of greeting, respect, etc. made, esp. formerly, by girls and women and characterized by a bending of the knees and a slight lowering of the body 3
  • noun plural curtsy a respectful bow made by women and girls, consisting of bending the knees and lowering the body. 1

Information block about the term

Origin of curtsy

First appearance:

before 1520
One of the 28% oldest English words
First recorded in 1520-30; variant of courtesy

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Curtsy

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

curtsy popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 81% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.

curtsy usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for curtsy

noun curtsy

  • obeisance — a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture.
  • bow — When you bow to someone, you briefly bend your body towards them as a formal way of greeting them or showing respect.
  • bob — If something bobs, it moves up and down, like something does when it is floating on water.
  • dip — to plunge (something, as a cloth or sponge) temporarily into a liquid, so as to moisten it, dye it, or cause it to take up some of the liquid: He dipped the brush into the paint bucket.
  • gesture — a movement or position of the hand, arm, body, head, or face that is expressive of an idea, opinion, emotion, etc.: the gestures of an orator; a threatening gesture.

verb curtsy

  • genuflect — to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship.
  • kneel — to go down or rest on the knees or a knee.
  • stoop — to bend the head and shoulders, or the body generally, forward and downward from an erect position: to stoop over a desk.
  • greet — to lament; bewail.

Top questions with curtsy

  • what is a curtsy?
  • what does curtsy mean?
  • how to curtsy?
  • how do you spell curtsy?
  • how to spell curtsy?
  • how do you curtsy?
  • what is the meaning of curtsy?
  • how to do curtsy lunges?
  • what is curtsy?
  • how to curtsy to the queen?
  • how to curtsy properly?

See also

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