flexion

American  

[flek-shuhn] / ˈflɛk ʃən /

noun

1. Anatomy.

   1. the act of bending a limb.

   2. the position that a limb assumes when it is bent.

2. Chiefly British. flection.

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flexion British  

/ ˈflɛkʃən /

noun

1. the act of bending a joint or limb

2. the condition of the joint or limb so bent

3. a variant spelling of flection

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Other Word Forms

• flexional adjective
• flexionless adjective
• hyperflexion noun
• overflexion noun
• superflexion noun

Etymology

Origin of flexion

1595–1605; < Latin flexiōn- (stem of flexiō ) a bending, turning. See flex ¹, -ion

Example Sentences

"The other thing was I don't have great shoulder flexion and because of that, as soon as I swing it too long I come out of posture and my swing is all out of whack."

From BBC • Aug. 5, 2025

The muscles around the back of the thigh known as the hamstrings are responsible for extension of the hip and flexion of the knee, making them equally essential for physical activity.

From Science Daily • Nov. 27, 2023

Benner pronounced my ankle flexion decent, deemed my arms to be on the short side, and noted that I had “a lot of facility with external rotation, but not so much with internal rotation.”

From Slate • May 6, 2023

The pangram from yesterday’s Spelling Bee was flexion.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2023

He seems pleased with it and throws around phrases like “controlling edema” and “preventing knee flexion contracture.”

From "The Running Dream" by Wendelin Van Draanen