Kneecap: meaning, definitions and examples

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kneecap

[ ˈniːkæp ]

Noun

^{Context #1 | Noun}

anatomy

The kneecap, also known as the patella, is a small bone located in front of the knee joint. It plays a crucial role in the proper functioning of the knee by protecting the joint and providing leverage for the muscles that extend the leg.

Synonyms

patella.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
kneecap	Commonly used in everyday language to refer to the bone in the knee area. He fell and hurt his kneecap. The doctor examined her swollen kneecap.
patella	Used in medical or scientific contexts to refer specifically to the kneecap bone. It is a more technical term. The X-ray showed a fracture in the patella. During anatomy class, we learned about the patella.

Word

Description / Examples

kneecap

Commonly used in everyday language to refer to the bone in the knee area.

He fell and hurt his kneecap.
The doctor examined her swollen kneecap.

patella

Used in medical or scientific contexts to refer specifically to the kneecap bone. It is a more technical term.

The X-ray showed a fracture in the patella.
During anatomy class, we learned about the patella.

Examples of usage

The athlete injured his kneecap during the game.
She felt a sharp pain in her kneecap while running.

Translations

Translations of the word "kneecap" in other languages:

🇵🇹 rótula

🇮🇳 घुटने का कड़ा

🇩🇪 Kniescheibe

🇮🇩 tempurung lutut

🇺🇦 надколінок

🇵🇱 rzepka

🇯🇵 膝蓋骨 (しつがいこつ)

🇫🇷 rotule

🇪🇸 rótula

🇹🇷 diz kapağı

🇰🇷 무릎뼈

🇸🇦 رضفة

🇨🇿 čéška

🇸🇰 jabĺčko

🇨🇳 髌骨 (bǐngǔ)

🇸🇮 pogačica

🇮🇸 hnéskel

🇰🇿 тізеқап

🇬🇪 მუხლისთავი

🇦🇿 diz qapağı

🇲🇽 rótula

Etymology

The word 'kneecap' originated from the combination of 'knee' and 'cap', referring to the bone that covers and protects the knee joint. The term has been used since the 18th century to describe this specific bone in the human body.