knee-jerk
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knee-jerk
Where it comes from
From knee + jerk, First attested c. 1876, and derived from a figurative sense of the patellar reflex.
adjective more knee-jerk · most knee-jerk · kneejerk · knee jerk
- Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable. He gave a knee-jerk response.
noun knee-jerks · kneejerk · knee jerk
-
A sudden reflexive movement of the leg below the knee, as a reaction to a tap to the tendon just below the patella (kneecap).
Similar: kneejerk reflex, patellar reflex
Translations
Every language
adj reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
| Español | impulsivo, visceral |
|---|---|
| Français | prévisible |
| Deutsch | reflexartig, vorhersehbar, automatisch |
noun reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
| Español | reflejo rotuliano |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | Kniereflex, Kniesehnenreflex, Patellarreflex, Patellarsehnenreflex, Kniephänomen |
Talk about this word "knee-jerk." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/knee-jerk. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. knee-jerk. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/knee-jerk "knee-jerk." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/knee-jerk.Cite this
@misc{knee_jerk_2026,
title = {knee-jerk},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/knee-jerk},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
