curtsy

UK: /ˈkɜː^rtsi/ US: /ˈkɝtsi/ ,(kûrt′sē)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

curt•sy /ˈkɜrtsi/   n., pl. -sies, v., -sied, -sy•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. a respectful bow made by women and girls, consisting of bending the knees and lowering the body.

v. [no object]

2. to make a curtsy:
   I was surprised when the housekeeper curtsied to us.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

curt•sy  (kûrt′sē), n., pl. -sies, v., -sied, -sy•ing. 
n. 

1. a respectful bow made by women and girls, consisting of bending the knees and lowering the body.

v.i. 

2. to make a curtsy.

• variant of courtesy 1520–30

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

curtsy, curtsey / ˈkɜːtsɪ/ noun ( -sies, -seys)

1. 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

verb ( -sies, -sying, -sied, -seys, -seying, -seyed)

1. (intransitive) to make a curtsy

Etymology: 16th Century: variant of courtesy