knee

Etymology

From Middle English kne, from Old English cnēo, from Proto-Germanic *knewą (compare Low German Knee, Dutch knie, German Knie, Danish knæ, Norwegian kne, Swedish knä), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵnéwo-, a thematic derivative of *ǵónu. Compare Hittite 𒄀𒉡 (genu), Latin genū, Tocharian A kanweṃ (dual), Tocharian B kenī, Ancient Greek γόνυ (gónu, “knee”), γωνία (gōnía, “corner, angle”), Old Armenian ծունր (cunr), Avestan 𐬲𐬥𐬎𐬨‎ (žnum), Sanskrit जानु (jānu).

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: nē, IPA^(key): /niː/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ni/

• Audio (US)

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• Rhymes: -iː
• Homophone: nee

Noun

knee (plural knees or (obsolete or dialectal) kneen)

1. In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank.

   Penny was wearing a miniskirt, so she skinned her exposed knees when she fell.

2. In the horse and allied animals, the carpal joint, corresponding to the wrist in humans.
3. The part of a garment that covers the knee.
4. (shipbuilding) A piece of timber or metal formed with an angle somewhat in the shape of the human knee when bent.
   • 1980, Richard W. Unger, The Ship in the Medieval Economy 600-1600, page 41

     Deck beams were supported by hanging knees, triangular pieces of wood typically found underneath the timbers they are designed to support, but in this case found above them.

5. (archaic) An act of kneeling, especially to show respect or courtesy.
   • circa 1605, William Shakepeare, Timon of Athens, Act III, scene iii, line 36

     Give them title, knee, and approbation.

   To make a knee.

6. Any knee-shaped item or sharp angle in a line, "the knee of a graph", an inflection point.
7. A blow made with the knee; a kneeing.

Verb

knee (third-person singular simple present knees, present participle kneeing, simple past and past participle kneed)

1. (transitive, archaic) To kneel to.
   • 1605: I could as well be brought / To knee his throne and, squire-like, pension beg / To keep base life afoot. — William Shakespeare, King Lear II.ii
2. (transitive) To poke or strike with the knee.

Anagrams

• Enke, Keen, keen, kene, kène, neek

Noun

knee

1. Alternative form of kne