to genuflect
5
9.9
- verb
- /ˈdʒɛnjəˌflɛkt/
- Formal
:
genuflexionar
- As the priest entered the sanctuary, the congregation stood and genuflected in reverence.
You don't get anywhere being, you know, genuflecting to, you know, somebody.
- You don't get anywhere being, you know, genuflecting to, you know, somebody.
- By the way, you do not have to genuflect or curtsy, will you, when you meet the Queen?
- Each time we do that, we don't realize not only do we not stand together as sisters, we genuflect on our knees to the patriarchy.
- So what they do to save their own skin, which is what he's doing is, is you know, they, they genuflect every so often.
Examples
-
Genuflect, everyone.
-
Upon his entrance, you will rise and genuflect.
-
So at the foundation, we genuflect before his picture each time we go by.
-
When I serve Holy Mass, I always genuflect whenever crossing, entering, or leaving the sanctuary.
Blog text (32) -
Why did we not genuflect upon entering the sanctuary, observe the Sign of Peace, or kneel?
Blog text (4) -
QUAERITUR: Must we not genuflect to the Blessed Sacrament during Mass?
Blog text (32) -
Related question: Are altar servers supposed to bow or genuflect when not carrying anything in the procession and recession?
Blog text (32) -
I told all that to the camera, and he circled around me, his knees bent, as if genuflecting.
Fiction book (1997) -
A group of men in rough homespun genuflected, arms outstretched, facing toward the camera.
Fiction book (1993) -
Kneeling at the altar, she glared at genuflecting high-church women.
Fiction book (1993)
Synonyms
149
1.4
To be with your knees on the ground
30
3.7
Lower your head or body to show respect, often as a sign that you obey someone
1
8.4
To show loyalty and obey a powerful person
To kneel on one knee in prayer or to show thanks
Antonyms
How Low
Surface Forms
Morphology
genuflect = genu + flect
Although the meaning is literally 'bend the knee', the components are Latin combining forms (genu- 'knee' + flect- 'bend') that are not recognizable as English morphemes to an average B1 learner.
Etymology
Genuflect comes from the Latin parts genu ('knee') and flectere ('to bend'), and you can see the same idea in English flex ('bend'). So to genuflect is to 'bend the knee' as a sign of respect or worship.