genuflection

American  

[jen-yoo-flek-shuhn] / ˌdʒɛn yʊˈflɛk ʃən /

especially British, genuflexion

noun

1. an act of bending the knee or touching it to the ground in reverence or worship.

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Etymology

Origin of genuflection

First recorded in 1520–30, genuflection is from the Medieval Latin word genūflexiōn- (stem of genūflexiō ). See genuflect, -ion

Example Sentences

He saw the tribal genuflection as “an empty, performative act” that implied “UW’s presence is somehow illegitimate, shameful, morally wrong.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025

Still, they’ve all grown too used to each other to engage in much genuflection: When you treat an awards campaign like a full-time job, the other contenders might as well be your co-workers.

From New York Times • Feb. 12, 2024

“It’s gracious. It makes a genuflection in the direction of Biden and America without actually giving anything away.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2023

Pay close attention to appreciate the artful genuflection to classics like "Excalibur."

From Salon • May 21, 2021

It would seem that such a genuflection must be, of necessity, ridiculous.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science Volume 12, No. 30, September, 1873 by Various