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
Noun
Fell to my knees, everything went blurry, then wobbled to the side of the stage and vomited for a bit. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 22 Mar. 2024 For example: People who suffer from bad knees but now can walk three miles with no problem and those who struggle with sleeping are able to sleep well. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 21 Mar. 2024 Mayo Clinic describes plaque psoriasis as a skin disease that causes itchy, scaly rashes, usually on the knees, elbows and scalp. USA TODAY, 20 Mar. 2024 Lux, who was returning from a knee operation that sidelined him for all of last season, was projected to be the starting shortstop. Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2024 Adams, in his second season with the Raiders, crossed paths with the 49ers in training camp and sustained a minor knee injury in their joint practices. Cam Inman, The Mercury News, 19 Mar. 2024 Nearby, a young man sits alone on a bench, pressing his knees together, his ears pink. Sierra Greer, WIRED, 19 Mar. 2024 The Deep Fear star popped the question while the couple was enjoying a ski getaway in Switzerland, getting down on one knee on the Peak Walk by Tissot, a hanging mountain bridge. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 18 Mar. 2024 In the meantime, Royce Lewis recovered from his knee surgery, returned to the major-league roster and staked his claim to third base. Betsy Helfand, Twin Cities, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'knee.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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 28 Mar. 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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