kowtow meaning

Meaning of kowtow

What is the full meaning of kowtow

the prostration made by mandarins and others to their superiors, either as homage or worship, by knocking the forehead on the ground [n -S] / to perform a kowtow, also KOTOW [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Example of the word kowtow placed on a Scrabble board.