Genuflect

Quick meaning: Genuflect is a verb meaning (intransitive, archaic) To bend the knee, as in servitude.

Meaning

(intransitive, archaic) To bend the knee, as in servitude.

More Meanings

1. (intransitive, figurative) To behave in a servile manner; to grovel.
2. (intransitive) To briefly enter a position that touches one knee to the ground in a manner that is typically associated with formal homage or religious worship.

Example Sentences

At high Mass the deacon and subdeacon stand on either side, genuflect too, and answer.

First you get down on your knees, fiddle with your rosaries, / Bow your head with great respect, and / genuflect, genuflect, genuflect.

Certainly, the megalomaniacs who aim to populate municipal fixtures with registered-trademark logos will expect cities to genuflect at every turn.

She took the holy water on her fingertips and made the sign of the cross, fleetingly touched her wet fingertips to her parched lips. Candles flickered redly before the saints, the Christ on his cross. Kay genuflected before entering her row and then knelt on the hard wooden rail of the pew to wait for her call to Communion.

Word Forms

• genuflects
• genuflecting
• genuflected

Synonyms for genuflect

Depending on context, synonyms include scrape, kowtow.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include kowtow, scrape, kneel, kneele, obleege, homage.

Related Dictionary Tools