ginocchio
Italian
Etymology
From Vulgar Latin *genuclum, syncopated from earlier *genuculum, variant of Late Latin geniculum, diminutive of Latin genū (“knee”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵónu.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): [dʒiˈnɔkkjo]
- Rhymes: -ɔkkjo
Noun
ginocchio m (plural ginocchi m, alternative plural ginocchia f)
- (anatomy) knee
Usage notes
The masculine plural ginocchi can be used in most cases, the female plural ginocchia is still found in certain idioms:
- sedere sulle ginocchia di qualcuno ― to be sitting on someone's lap (literally, “to sit on someone's knees”)
- fa venire il latte alle ginocchia ― to watch paint dry (literally, “to get milk up one's knees”)
Related terms
- ginocchiata
- ginocchiello
- ginocchiera
- ginocchioni
- inginocchiarsi