kneecap
pronunciation
How to pronounce kneecap in British English:
UK [ˈni:kæp]
How to pronounce kneecap in American English:
US [ˈniˌkæp]
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- Noun:
- a small flat triangular bone in front of the knee that protects the knee joint
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- Verb:
- shoot in the kneecap, often done by terrorist groups as a warning
Word Origin
- kneecap (n.)
- 1650s, "a covering or protection for the knee," from knee (n.) + cap (n.). Meaning "bone in front of the knee joint" is from 1869; the verb in the underworld sense of "to shoot (someone) in the knee" as punishment is attested by 1975. Related: Kneecapped.
Example
- 1. Two seasons ago he broke his left kneecap .
- 2. Q : is the pain in the front of the knee below the kneecap ?
- 3. A common complaint among long-distance runners , runner 's knee feels like a soreness around and sometimes behind the kneecap .