kneecap

[ nee-kap ]

noun

the patella.
a protective covering, usually knitted, for the knee.

verb (used with object),knee·capped, knee·cap·ping.

to cripple (a person) by shooting in the knee: Terrorists were kneecapping prospective jurors.

Origin of kneecap

First recorded in 1650–60; knee + cap¹

Other words from kneecap

kneecapper, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for kneecap

kneecap

/ (ˈniːˌkæp) /

noun

anatomy a nontechnical name for patella
another word for poleyn

verb-caps, -capping or -capped (tr)

(esp of certain terrorist groups) to shoot (a person) in the kneecap, esp as an act of retaliation

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

Scientific definitions for kneecap

kneecap

[ nē′kăp′ ]

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