knee

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
a
: a joint in the middle part of the human leg that is the articulation between the femur, tibia, and patella
also : the part of the leg that includes this joint
b(1)
: the joint in the hind leg of a four-footed vertebrate that corresponds to the human knee
(2)
: the carpal joint of the foreleg of a four-footed vertebrate
c
: the tarsal joint of a bird
d
: the joint between the femur and tibia of an insect
2
: something resembling the human knee: such as
a
: a piece of timber naturally or artificially bent for use in supporting structures coming together at an angle (such as the deck beams of a ship)
b
: a rounded or conical process rising from the roots of various swamp-growing trees
cypress knee
3
: the part of a garment covering the knee
4
: a blow with the bent knee
kneed adjective

knee

2 of 2

verb

kneed; kneeing

transitive verb

1
: to strike with the knee
2
archaic : to bend the knee to
Phrases
to one's knees
: into a state of submission or defeat

Examples of knee in a Sentence

Noun I fell down and hurt my knee. She suffered a serious knee injury. His knees trembled with fear. He got down on one knee and proposed to her. His little granddaughter sat on his knee. Her jeans had holes at the knees. Verb His attacker kneed him in the stomach.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The Titans, for example, went into the game with a 2-6 record, but welcomed back quarterback Will Levis and running back Tony Pollard from shoulder and knee injuries. Elliott Teaford, Orange County Register, 10 Nov. 2024 Embiid, who has had a history of knee injuries, underwent surgery on the meniscus in his left knee in February. Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 5 Nov. 2024 After dealing with a knee injury for a handful of weeks, George is expected to make his season debut on Monday against the Phoenix Suns. David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024 Metcalf did not play on Sunday because of a knee injury. Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for knee 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English cnēow; akin to Old High German kneo knee, Latin genu, Greek gony

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of knee was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near knee

Cite this Entry

“Knee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/knee. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

knee

1 of 2 noun
1
: the joint or region in the middle part of the human leg in which the femur, tibia, and kneecap come together
also : a corresponding part of a four-footed mammal
2
: something resembling the knee
especially : a cone-shaped upward growth from the roots of a few swamp-growing trees (as a cypress of the southern U.S.) that extends above the surrounding water
3
: the part of a garment covering the knee
kneed adjective

knee

2 of 2 verb
kneed; kneeing
: to strike with the knee

Medical Definition

knee

noun
1
a
: a joint in the middle part of the human leg that is the articulation between the femur, tibia, and patella

called also knee joint

b
: the part of the leg that includes this joint
2
a
: the joint in the hind leg of a 4-footed vertebrate that corresponds to the human knee
b
: the carpal joint of the foreleg of a 4-footed vertebrate
kneed adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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