Definition of "curtesy" []

• The life tenure that by common law is held by a man over the property of his deceased wife if children with rights of inheritance were born during the marriage. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Last week's term was dower and curtesy, which is defined as:"
• "“Hello, girls,” Ivy said, thinking the curtesy was the ultimate irony since the two of them had forced their way in."
• "Aug. 2nd, Monday, Mr. William Diggs his philosophicall curtesy all day."