supinate

supinate

English

WOTD – 21 March 2006

Etymology

From Latin supīnō (“turn up, turn over”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsuː.pəˌneɪt/, /ˈsjuː.pəˌneɪt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈsuː.pəˌneɪt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Verb

supinate (third-person singular simple present supinates, present participle supinating, simple past and past participle supinated)

1. (transitive, anatomy) To twist the forearm so as to turn the palm of the hand backwards if the forearm is pointing up, upwards if the forearm is horizontal, or forwards if the arm is pointing down; to twist the forearm by contracting the biceps brachii; to twist the right forearm clockwise or the left forearm counterclockwise.
2. (transitive, anatomy) To twist the foot so the weight is on the outer edge.

Antonyms

• (to twist the forearm in a particular direction): pronate
• (to twist the foot in a particular direction): pronate

Related terms

• supinated
• supine

Anagrams

• petunias