Knee Jerk Definition

nējûrk
kneejerk
noun
Webster's New World
A reflex contraction of the quadriceps muscle resulting in a sudden involuntary extension of the leg, produced by a sharp tap to the tendon below the patella; patellar reflex.
American Heritage Medicine

Alternative spelling of knee-jerk.

Wiktionary
Synonyms:
adjective
Designating, characterized by, or reacting with a response regarded as automatic and predictable.
Webster's New World
Reacting spontaneously in the expected manner.
A knee-jerk cynic.
American Heritage

Alternative spelling of knee-jerk.

Wiktionary
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Other Word Forms of Knee Jerk

Noun

Singular:
knee jerk
Plural:
knee-jerks

Origin of Knee Jerk

  • knee +‎ jerk, First attested 1876, obviously derived from a figurative sense of the patellar reflex.

    From Wiktionary

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knee jerk