recumbent

[ri-kuhm-buhnt]

adjective

1. lying down; reclining; leaning.

   Synonyms: inclined, prostrate, supine, prone

2. inactive; idle.

3. Zoology, Botany.,  noting a part that leans or reposes upon its surface of origin.

noun

1. a recumbent person, animal, plant, etc.

recumbent

/ rɪˈkʌmbənt /

adjective

1. lying down; reclining

2. (of a part or organ) leaning or resting against another organ or the ground

   a recumbent stem

3. (of a fold in a rock formation) in which the axial plane is nearly horizontal

Other Word Forms

• recumbency noun
• recumbence noun
• recumbently adverb
• unrecumbent adjective
• unrecumbently adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of recumbent¹

1765–75; < Latin recumbent- (stem of recumbēns ), present participle of recumbere to lie back, equivalent to re- re- + cumb-, akin to cubāre to lie down + -ent- -ent

Word History and Origins

Origin of recumbent¹

C17: from Latin recumbere to lie back, from _re- + cumbere to lie

Example Sentences

She remains recumbent for an entire number, singing to a skeleton, before the bones around her reveal themselves as dancers in masks, convulsing to the humongous bassline synths of “Disease.”

From Salon

By contrast, the American Magic team have chosen to put the cyclors in the recumbent position, lying almost flat on their backs.

From BBC

But, don’t worry, the company also rents recumbent trikes, pedal boats and kayaks.

From Los Angeles Times

One moving work is a wall-size, single-channel video projection of a recumbent Black torso, seen from behind, the head obscured beneath a stony pile of gray rubble.

From Los Angeles Times

Overjoyed at hearing civilized speech again, Abel ran over to the recumbent frog and looked down at him, beaming with candid delight.

From Literature