verb
genuflect
Genuflect (verb) means to bend the knee, as a sign of submission.
verb
1
To bend the knee, as a sign of submission.
2
To briefly kneel on one knee, usually as a formal sign of respect or worship.
"At high Mass the deacon and subdeacon stand on either side, genuflect too, and answer."
— Adrian Fortescue, Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Gospel in the Liturgy (1913)
3
To act in an overly submissive way; to grovel.
"Certainly, the megalomaniacs who aim to populate municipal fixtures with registered-trademark logos will expect cities to genuflect at every turn."
— Julianne Tveten, Zucktown, USA (2017)
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like genuflect.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
PIE word *ǵónu From around 1620–1630 from Medieval Latin genūflectō (“to bend the knee”) equivalent to the Latin genū (“knee”) + flectō (“to bend”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of genuflect?
"genuflect" (verb) means to bend the knee, as a sign of submission.
What is another word for genuflect?
Other words for "genuflect" include kowtow, scrape.
What are the different meanings of genuflect?
"genuflect" has 3 main meanings: 1. To bend the knee, as a sign of submission; 2. To briefly kneel on one knee, usually as a formal sign of respect or worship; 3. To act in an overly submissive way; to grovel.
