Knead
/niːd/noun
To work and press dough or another substance with the hands.
Did you know?Knead comes from the same Old English root as *knee*, because the motion was originally tied to pressing with the hand or body in a bent, forceful way.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gneh₁-
“to rub, press, or knead”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*knēdaną
“to knead, press, work dough”
Old English
English
cnēdan
“to knead, work by pressure”
Middle English
English
neden / kneden
“to knead or work dough”
Modern English
English
knead
“to work and press with the hands”