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Unthinking, not carefully considered, (nearly) automatic, spontaneous, easily predictable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- He gave a knee-jerk response.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
A sudden reflexive movement of the leg below the knee, as a reaction to a tap to the tendon just below the patella (kneecap).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
From knee + jerk, First attested c. 1876, and derived from a figurative sense of the patellar reflex.
Across languages
Translations
22 source translations are retained for this English entry.
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Dutch:
voorspelbaar
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Finnish:
refleksinomainen vastaus
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Finnish:
selkäydin- (such as selkäydinreaktio)
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
French:
prévisible
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
German:
reflexartig
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
German:
vorhersehbar
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
German:
automatisch
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Icelandic:
ósjálfráður
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Spanish:
impulsivo
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Spanish:
visceral
— reacting unthinkingly or spontaneously in an expected manner
-
Finnish:
patellaarirefleksi
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Finnish:
polviheijaste
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
German:
Kniereflex
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
German:
Kniesehnenreflex
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
German:
Patellarreflex
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
German:
Patellarsehnenreflex
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
German:
Kniephänomen
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Icelandic:
hnéviðbragð
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Icelandic:
hnékippur
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Norwegian:
knerefleks
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Norwegian:
patellarefleks
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
-
Spanish:
reflejo rotuliano
— reflex extension of the lower leg due to tap below knee
