genuflect
[ jen-yoo-flekt ]
/ ˈdʒɛn yʊˌflɛkt /
Save This Word!
verb (used without object)
to bend the knee or touch one knee to the floor in reverence or worship.
to express a servile attitude.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Origin of genuflect
1620–30; <Medieval Latin genūflectere to bend the knee, equivalent to Latin genū-, stem of genuknee + flectere to bend
OTHER WORDS FROM genuflect
gen·u·flec·tor, nounWords nearby genuflect
gentry, gents', genu, genual, genucubital position, genuflect, genuflection, genuine, genuine article, genuinely, gen up
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for genuflect
British Dictionary definitions for genuflect
genuflect
/ (ˈdʒɛnjʊˌflɛkt) /
verb (intr)
to act in a servile or deferential manner
RC Church to bend one or both knees as a sign of reverence, esp when passing before the Blessed Sacrament
Derived forms of genuflect
genuflection or esp British genuflexion, noungenuflector, nounWord Origin for genuflect
C17: from Medieval Latin genūflectere, from Latin genu knee + flectere to bend
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012