kowtow

Plural: kowtows

Noun

a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission
The act of kowtowing.

Verb

Verb Forms: kowtowed, kowtowing, kowtows

To show excessive deference; to act in a subservient manner.
bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
- "He is always kowtowing to his boss"
To kneel and bow low enough to touch one’s forehead to the ground.
To grovel, act in a very submissive manner; to show obeisance to (someone or something) in such a manner; to bow.
To bow very deeply.

Examples

Even after her triple-word-score KOWTOW, his opponent still wouldn’t concede.

Origin / Etymology

From either Cantonese 叩頭 /叩头 (kau³ tau⁴) or Mandarin 叩頭 /叩头 (kòutóu). Literally, “knock head”.

Synonyms

bootlick, fawn, genuflect, kotow, scrape, suck up, toady, truckle, dogeza

Scrabble Score: 16

kowtow: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
kowtow: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
kowtow: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 16

kowtow: valid Words With Friends Word