knee
Americannoun
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Anatomy. the joint of the leg that allows for movement between the femur and tibia and is protected by the patella; the central area of the leg between the thigh and the lower leg.
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Zoology. the corresponding joint or region in the hind leg of a quadruped; stifle.
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a joint or region likened to this but not anatomically homologous with it, as the tarsal joint of a bird, the carpal joint in the forelimb of the horse or cow, etc.
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the part of a garment covering the knee.
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something resembling a bent knee, especially a rigid or braced angle between two framing members.
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Also called hip, shoulder. Furniture. the inward curve toward the top of a cabriole leg.
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Building Trades.
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the junction of the top and either of the uprights of a bent.
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a curved member for reinforcing the junction of two pieces meeting at an angle.
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Also called kneeler. a stone cut to follow a sharp return angle.
verb (used with object)
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to strike or touch with the knee.
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to secure (a structure, as a bent) with a knee.
verb (used without object)
idioms
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take a knee, to kneel on one knee, usually with the opposite leg also bent at a 90-degree angle and placed forward with the foot on the ground, as in sports or as a posture in protests and demonstrations: Organizers are coordinating so the crowds at every state capitol will take a knee in protest of racial injustice simultaneously, across time zones.
Our soccer team would take a knee if a player on either team was injured.
Organizers are coordinating so the crowds at every state capitol will take a knee in protest of racial injustice simultaneously, across time zones.
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bring someone to his / her knees, to force someone into submission or compliance.
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on one's / its knees,
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in a supplicatory position or manner.
I came to him on my knees for the money.
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in a desperate or declining condition.
The country's economy is on its knees.
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cut (someone) off at the knees, to squelch or humiliate (a person) suddenly and thoroughly.
The speaker cut the heckler off at the knees.
noun
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Technical name: genu. the joint of the human leg connecting the tibia and fibula with the femur and protected in front by the patella
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the area surrounding and above this joint
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(modifier) reaching or covering the knee
knee breeches
knee socks
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a corresponding or similar part in other vertebrates
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the part of a garment that covers the knee
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the upper surface of a seated person's thigh
the child sat on her mother's knee
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anything resembling a knee in action, such as a device pivoted to allow one member angular movement in relation to another
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anything resembling a knee in shape, such as an angular bend in a pipe
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any of the hollow rounded protuberances that project upwards from the roots of the swamp cypress: thought to aid respiration in waterlogged soil
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to kneel or submit
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to force someone into submission
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to cause something to be in a weakened or impoverished state
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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kneesimple
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kneessimple
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have kneedperfect
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has kneedperfect
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am kneeingprogressive
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are kneeingprogressive
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is kneeingprogressive
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have been kneeingperfect progressive
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has been kneeingperfect progressive
Past
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kneedsimple
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had kneedperfect
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was kneeingprogressive
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were kneeingprogressive
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had been kneeingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of knee
First recorded before 900; Middle English kne, cne, knei, cneo, Old English cnēo(w); cognate with German Knie, Dutch knie, Old Norse knē, Gothic kniu, Latin genu, Greek góny, Sanskrit jānu, Hittite genu, all meaning “knee”
Explanation
Your knee is the joint in your leg that joins your thigh with your shin, making it possible for you to bend your leg. Without knees, you'd walk like a Barbie doll on very stiff legs. The knee connects your tibia, or shinbone, to your femur, or thighbone. Although their bodies are arranged in different ways, there are other animals with knees, including horses, donkeys, giraffes, and deer. You can also use the word knee to mean the part of your pants that covers your actual knee: "I always get a hole in the knee of my jeans." A "knee-slapper" is a joke so funny it makes you laugh out loud.
Vocabulary lists containing knee
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On the other hand, Ohtani missed his last start for treatment of a troublesome left knee, and neither Snell nor Glasnow has pitched since May.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
Serena Williams made a brief and much-discussed return at Wimbledon, exiting singles in the first round, then dropping out from doubles with sister Venus with a knee injury.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
McGregor's knee appeared to give way when he missed with his first attempted roundhouse kick in the opening seconds.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
He exited the Dodgers’ game on June 11 against the Pirates with inflammation in his left knee and sat out the next day.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
“Oh, no you don’t!” her knee screamed, and she sat down again even faster.
From "Nim’s Island" by Wendy Orr
When French referee Clement Turpin signalled the end of an incident-filled quarter-final win in Miami, Thomas Tuchel's exhausted players sank to their knees in celebration after being taken to extra-time by Norway.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
In a half-covered amphitheatre in eastern China, 20-year-old Wang Shuangshuang locked his shoulder against the neck of a bull, grappling with its horns to force it to its knees.
From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026
Cameras were poised at every side of AJ Dybantsa’s table, where the Brigham Young forward sat with his elbows resting on his knees and head bowed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026
Mr. Landor’s religious vow, based in the Old Testament, was not to cut his hair, which nearly reached his knees.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
Sitting alone with my knees tucked to the side, I felt a wave of self-consciousness come over me.
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
Redick said Doncic was injured when he was kneed by Clippers guard Bagdan Bogdanovic during Saturday night’s loss at Intuit Dome.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 22, 2025
Lively was injured in Dallas’ 116-107 Game 3 victory when Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves accidentally kneed the rookie in the back of the head in the second quarter.
From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2024
She said she kneed him after an encounter that lasted several minutes and fled the store.
From Washington Times ● May 8, 2023
Bass suffered a severe neck injury in Week 8 of the 1975 season when he was kneed in the head while tackling New York Giants running back Joe Dawkins.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 8, 2022
I was so anxious to get past them I accidentally kneed Kelli in the thigh.
From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan
James scored just 16 points on five-of-14 shooting, tumbling to the court in a heap in the first half after kneeing Brown in the back during an awkward defensive possession.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 25, 2023
Wild forward Mason Shaw was assessed a major penalty and ejected for kneeing Sharks forward Evgeny Svechnikov in the second period.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2022
Tkachuk recived a double-minor for roughing, Foligno went off for roughing and and Boston’s Tomas Nosek picked up a minor for kneeing Rudolf Balcers on the initial hit.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 17, 2022
Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov has been suspended two games for kneeing Winnipeg Jets forward Nikolaj Ehlers.
From Washington Times ● Jan. 19, 2022
I all but pounced onto Chubs’s back, both scaring him senseless and kneeing him in the kidney in the process.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
