A curtsy is a traditional gendered gesture of greeting, in which a girl or woman bends her knees while bowing her head. It is the female equivalent of male bowing or genuflecting in Western cultures. Miss Manners characterizes its knee bend as deriving from a "traditional gesture of an inferior to a superior."

What does it mean when you curtsy?

A curtsy is an old-fashioned half-bow that shows extreme respect. A woman or girl is generally expected to curtsy when meeting the Queen of England. ... The word curtsy sounds a little bit like courtesy, and that's exactly where it comes from.

What is an English curtsy?

curtsy in British English

or curtsey (ˈkɜːtsɪ ) nounWord forms: plural -sies or -seys. 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.