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Definition 2025

knee-jerk

knee-jerk

See also: kneejerk and knee jerk

English

Alternative forms

Adjective

knee-jerk ‎(comparative more knee-jerk, superlative most knee-jerk)

Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable
He gave a knee-jerk response.

Derived terms

Translations

reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner

German: reflexartig, vorhersehbar (de), automatisch (de)
Icelandic: ósjálfráður (is) m
Dutch: voorspelbaar (nl)
Finnish: selkäydin- (fi), see selkäydinreaktio

French: prévisible (fr)
Norwegian: forventet or forutsigelig or forutsigbar spontanreaksjon m

Noun

knee-jerk ‎(plural knee-jerks)

A sudden reflexive movement of the leg below the knee, as a reaction to a tap to the tendon just below the patella (kneecap).

Synonyms

kneejerk reflex
patellar reflex

Translations

reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee

Finnish: patellaarirefleksi, polviheijaste
German: Kniereflex m, Kniesehnenreflex m, Patellarreflex m, Patellarsehnenreflex m, Kniephänomen n
Icelandic: hnéviðbragð n, hnékippur m

Norwegian: knerefleks m, patellarefleks m
Spanish: reflejo rotuliano m