Standard Lemma guide

bowing

noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈbaʊɪŋ/ bending at the waist
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈboʊɪŋ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbəʊɪŋ/
  • rhymes with -əʊɪŋ
  • CMU ARPABET: B OW1 IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
  • CMU ARPABET 2: B AW1 IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The act of bending at the waist, as a sign of respect or greeting.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The courtier had practiced his bowing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A bending.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Examples

  • The heavy books caused a bowing in the shelf.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A technique for using the bow on a string instrument such as a violin.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

present participle and gerund of bow (all senses)

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

showing an excessively deferential manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bowed

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

managing the bow in playing a stringed instrument

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the violinist's bowing was excellent

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: playing

Narrower terms: spiccato, spiccato bowing

7

noun

Meaning 7

bending the head or body or knee as a sign of reverence or submission or shame or greeting

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bow, obeisance

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: reverence, gesture, motion

Narrower terms: genuflection, genuflexion, kowtow, kotow, scrape, scraping, salaam

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Māori: tungoutanga — the act of bending as a sign of respect
  • Portuguese: reverência — the act of bending as a sign of respect
  • Spanish: prosternación — the act of bending as a sign of respect
  • Spanish: inclinación — the act of bending as a sign of respect