Definition of KNEE

knee

Plural: kneen, knees

Noun

  • hinge joint in the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
  • joint between the femur and tibia in a quadruped; corresponds to the human knee
  • the part of a trouser leg that provides the cloth covering for the knee
  • In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.
  • In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in humans.
  • In birds:
  • The tarsal joint, uniting the tarsometatarsus and the tibiotarsus (homologous to the human ankle).
  • In birds:
  • The joint uniting the tibiotarsus and the femur, typically hidden beneath plumage.
  • The part of a garment that covers the knee.
  • A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
  • An act of kneeling, especially to show respect or courtesy.
  • Any knee-shaped item or sharp angle in a line; an inflection point.
  • A blow made with the knee; a kneeing.
  • The presence of a parent etc., where a young child acquires early knowledge.

Verb

Verb Forms: kneed, kneeing, knees

  • To strike or hit with the knee.
  • To kneel to.
  • To poke or strike with the knee.
  • To move on the knees; to use the knees to move.

Examples

  • Penny was wearing a miniskirt, so she skinned her exposed knees when she fell.
  • She planned to knee her opponent’s lead with a powerful triple-word score.
  • the knee of a graph
  • When I blocked her from leaving, she kneed me in the groin.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English kne, from Old English cnēow, from Proto-West Germanic *kneu, from Proto-Germanic *knewą, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵnéw-o-m, a thematic derivative of *ǵónu.
See also West Frisian knibbel, Low German Knee, Knie, Dutch knie, German Knie, Danish knæ, Norwegian kne, Swedish knä; also Hittite 𒄀𒉡 (genu), Latin genū, Tocharian A kanweṃ (dual), Tocharian B kenī, Ancient Greek γόνυ (gónu, “knee”), γωνία (gōnía, “corner, angle”), Welsh glin (“knee”), Old Armenian ծունր (cunr), Avestan 𐬲𐬥𐬎𐬨 (žnum), Sanskrit जानु (jā́nu).
The obsolete plural kneen is from Middle English kneen, knen, kneon, kneuwene.

Synonyms

articulatio genus, genu, human knee, knee joint, stifle

Scrabble Score: 8

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

Words With Friends Score: 9

knee: valid Words With Friends Word