Bowing
/ˈbaʊ.ɪŋ/noun
The act of bending the head, torso, or body forward as a sign of respect, greeting, or submission.
Did you know?The verb ultimately comes from a Germanic root meaning “to bend,” and the same ancient root also lives in words like elbow and bough — proof that bodies, branches, and respect were once linguistically the same shape.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰeuǵʰ-
“to bend, curve”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*buganą
“to bend, bow”
Old English
OE
būgan
“to bend, stoop, yield”
Middle English
ME
bowen
“to bend the body in reverence or submission”
Modern English
English
bowing
“bending the body or head as a gesture of respect or deference”