genuflect

/ˈd͡ʒɛn.jʊ.flɛkt/ · verb

Meaning

To bend the knee, as in servitude.
To briefly enter a position that touches one knee to the ground in a manner that is typically associated with formal homage or religious worship.
To behave in a servile manner; to grovel.

Etymology / origin

PIE word *ǵónu From around 1620–1630 from Medieval Latin genūflectō (“to bend the knee”) equivalent to the Latin genū (“knee”) + flectō (“to bend”).

genū(la)→
genūflectō(la-med)→
genuflect (English)
Relations: bor, der

Related words

genūflectō(la-med)genū(la)

Sources

No citations have been attached yet.