Genuflect
/ˈdʒɛnjʊˌflɛkt/noun
To bend one or both knees to the ground, especially in worship or respect.
Did you know?Genuflect comes from Latin *genu* (“knee”) + *flectere* (“to bend”), and the same knee-root hides inside words like *genital* and *genius* through the ancient idea of life-force and birth.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
genu
“knee”
Latin
Latin
flectere
“to bend, curve, turn”
Late Latin
Late Latin
genuflectere
“to bend the knee”
16th Century
English
genuflect
“to bend the knee in reverence or worship”
Modern English
English
genuflect
“to kneel or bend the knee, especially as a sign of respect or devotion”