kneecap

See also: knee-cap and knee cap

English

Etymology

knee + cap

Noun

kneecap (plural kneecaps)

  1. The flat, roundish bone in the knee.

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

kneecap (third-person singular simple present kneecaps, present participle kneecapping, simple past and past participle kneecapped)

  1. (transitive) To destroy the knees of (a person), usually by shooting at the knees, as a punishment carried out by criminals or terrorists.

Usage notes

  • This term is considered a misnomer by medical professionals because only a very small minority of victims suffer damage to the kneecap.
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