Genuflect

Pronunciation: /ˈdʒɛn.jʊˌflɛkt/

Definitions of genuflect

verb to bend the knee or touch one knee to the ground as in worship or respect

Example Sentences

A1 He saw the priest genuflect before the altar.

A2 The students were taught to genuflect before entering the dojo.

B1 As a sign of respect, she chose to genuflect before the king.

B2 The tradition of genuflecting in church dates back centuries.

C1 The politician's opponents accused him of genuflecting to special interest groups.

C2 In some cultures, it is customary to genuflect when greeting someone of higher social status.

Grammatical Forms of genuflect

• past tense: genuflected
• plural: genuflects
• comparative: more genuflect
• superlative: most genuflect
• present tense: genuflect
• future tense: will genuflect
• perfect tense: have genuflected
• continuous tense: is genuflecting
• singular: genuflect
• positive degree: genuflect
• infinitive: to genuflect
• gerund: genuflecting
• participle: genuflecting

Origin and Evolution of genuflect

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'genuflect' originated from the Latin word 'genuflectere', which is a combination of 'genu' meaning knee and 'flectere' meaning to bend.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a religious context to describe the act of bending the knee in worship or reverence, 'genuflect' has evolved to also mean showing subservience or deference in a non-religious context.