adj · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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nēd
/niːd/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
homophone: knead
homophone: need
rhymes with -iːd
CMU ARPABET:N IY1 D
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Having a knee or knees, or, in combination, the stated type of knee or knees.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
a kneed biped; a knobbly-kneed boy
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Having angular joints like the knee.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
simple past and past participle of knee
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: form-of, participle, past
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ǵnéw-der. Proto-Indo-European *ǵnéwom Proto-Germanic *knewą Proto-West Germanic *kneu Old English cnēo Middle English kne English knee English -ed English kneed From knee + -ed.