A curtsy is a traditional greeting or gesture of respect where someone bends their knees while keeping their back straight, often holding the edges of a skirt or dress. It is often associated with girls and women and is considered the feminine equivalent of a bow.

For centuries, people curtsied to royalty, nobility, or other important figures as a sign of respect and good manners. If you met a queen, you might curtsy to show honor. In old-fashioned ballrooms, dancers would curtsy to their partners before beginning a dance.

Today, you might see curtsies in ballet performances, when children meet royalty (like when kids visit Buckingham Palace), or in historical movies and plays set in earlier times. Some dance classes still teach students to curtsy at the end of a performance as a graceful way to acknowledge applause.

As a verb, to curtsy means to do this gesture.

While curtsying isn't common in everyday modern life, it remains part of formal etiquette in some situations and shows how gestures of respect have changed over time.