A respectful greeting made by bending the knees and lowering the body slightly, traditionally performed by women and girls to show respect or courtesy.
From 'courtesy' (French 'courtoisie'), originally 'courtesie,' the word became 'curtsy' in the 1600s. It literally embodies the concept of courtesy through a physical gesture.
A curtsy is basically a 'courtesy' turned into a body gesture—the two words are actually the same word that split into different meanings! Girls in British royal protocol still learn curtsy, and it reveals how physical gestures can be locked into social tradition for hundreds of years.
Curtsy is a gendered gesture of deference historically required of women and girls but not men. It encodes subordination and social hierarchy by gender.
Use 'bow' or 'gesture of respect' for gender-neutral contexts. When discussing curtsy specifically, acknowledge its gendered history rather than normalizing it as universal etiquette.
["bow","gesture of respect","acknowledge"]
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